PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Purchased  by  the  Hammill  Missionary  Fund. 


Division 
Section  » 

J  72 


Number. 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/realityversusromOOjohn_0 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE 

IN 

SOUTH  CENTRAL  AFRICA 


BEING  AN  ACCOUNT  OF 
A  JOURNEY  ACROSS  THE  CONTINENT  FROM  BENGUELLA  ON  THE  WEST 
THROUGH  BIHE,  GANGUELLA,  BAROTSE,  THE  KALIHARI  DESERT, 
MASHONALAND,  MANICA,  GORONGOZA,  NYASA,  THE  SHIRE 
HIGHLANDS,  TO  THE  MOUTH  OF  THE  ZAMBESI 
ON  THE  EAST  COAST 


BY 

JAMES^OHNSTON,  M.  D. 


WITH  FIFTY-ONE  FULL-PAGE  PHOTOGRAVURE  ILLUSTRATIONS  FROM  PHOTOGRAPHS 
BY  THE  AUTHOR  AND  MAP  INDICATING  ROUTE  TRAVERSED 


FLEMING  H. 

NEW  YORK 

112  Fifth  Avenue 


REVELL  COMPANY 

CHICAGO 

148-150  Madison  Street 


Copjo-ight, 
1893, 

Fleming  H.  Eevell  Company. 


171,  173  Macdougal  Street,  New  York 


PREFACE. 


*HE'  author  of  this  narrative  of  African  explora- 


tion  has  been  governed  by  two  considerations  only 
in  his  work:  first,  the  obtaining  of  absolutely  correct 
information  concerning  that  portion  of  the  "  Dark  Con- 
tinent "  which  was  the  field  of  his  investigation ;  second, 
the  presentation  of  that  knowledge  in  these  pages  with 
rigid  adherence  to  the  truth.  In  every  instance  where 
disputed  questions,  whether  commercial,  political,  or  re- 
ligious, are  touched  upon,  he  has  endeavored  to  verify  his 
statements  by  quoting  from  the  writings  or  sayings  of 
men  well  known  to  the  reading  world.  Entirely  iade- 
pendent  of  all  denominational,  political,  or  party  influ- 
ences, with  no  interests  to  conciliate  or  ends  to  serve  - 
beyond  the  acquisition  of  indubitable  facts  that  would 
be  of  value  to  the  world,  he  has  naturally  reached  re- 
sults in  some  regards  conflicting  with  representations 
made  by  certain  preceding  travelers,  who  have  either 
been  less  painstaking  in  the  attainment  of  precise 
knowledge  or — for  various  reasons — more  unable  or 
disinclined  to  make  known,  with  accuracy,  what  they 


5 


5  PREFACE. 

had  learned.  It  is  not  his  province  or  desire  to  criti- 
cise either  the  methods  or  motives  of  others,  but  he  is 
morally  convinced  that  where  the  results  of  his  obser- 
vations differ  from  the  conclusions  at  which  they  have 
arrived,  he  is  right. 

Fitting  out  his  expedition  himself,  indebted  to  no 
government,  commercial  company,  or  society  for  its 
equipment,  and  responsible  to  no  one  but  himself  for 
its  course  or  control,  he  was  altogether  untrammeled 
in  his  work,  free  from  time  limitations,  and  at  full 
liberty  to  tell  the  truth,  as  he  saw  it.  Those  advan- 
tages but  few  African  explorers  have,  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted, hitherto  enjoyed. 

During  a  period  of  twenty  months  he  crossed  South 
Central  Africa,  traveling  four  thousand  five  hundred 
miles  mostly  on  foot,  and  alone  so  far  as  a  white  com- 
panion is  concerned — passing  through  numerous  hostile 
and  savage  tribes,  traversing  areas  hitherto  reported 
too  pestilential  for  exploration,  surmounting  natural 
obstacles  which  have  been  represented  as  insurmount- 
able, and  penetrating  regions  where  no  white  man  had 
ever  gone  before.  In  all  that  long  journey  he  never 
once  found  himseK  prompted  to  fire  a  shot  in  anger,  or 
compelled  to  do  so  in  self-defense  against  a  human  ene- 
my ;  while  he  can  say  what  perhaps  no  other  man  who 
has  crossed  Africa  can — that  of  the  many  native  carri- 
ers who  traveled  with  him  he  did  not  lose  one  by  death. 
He  went  among  the  fiercest  tribes,  not  as  a  conqueror 


PREFACE.  '  7 

and  master,  but  as  a  friend,  and  seeking  to  leave  a  trail 
behind  him  not  of  blood  and  hate,  but  of  peace  and 
good-will. 

Inspired  in  the  inception  of  his  undertaking  by  a 
belief  that  black  men  from  Jamaica,  by  reason  of  their 
more  ready  adaptability  to  climatic  conditions  and  sup- 
posable  racial  sympathy,  could  be  advantageously  em- 
ployed for  the  Christianization  and  civilization  of  the 
African  savage  tribes,  he  took  the  only  practical  means 
for  conclusively  determining  the  probable  practicability 
of  the  design,  by  thoroughly  informing  himself  upon 
the  conditions  under  which  they  would  have  to  live  and 
labor.  This  he  could  only  do  by  personal  experience, 
for  the  assumedly  authoritative  reports  of  precedent 
travelers  were  much  too  contradictory  of  one  another 
upon  important  matters,  too  meager  in  essential  details, 
and  too  restricted  in  their  field  of  exploration,  to  be  ac- 
cepted as  information. 

In  pursuance  of  his  purpose  he  not  only  made  a  care- 
ful study  of  the  native  tribes  in  the  vast  belt  selected 
by  him  for  exploration,  but  critically  investigated  the 
resources  of  the  country,  its  availability  for  develop- 
ment, and  the  obstacles — where  any  existed — in  the 
way  of  its  reclamation  from  savagery. 

He  saw  with  the  eyes  of  the  agriculturist,  the  geolo- 
gist, the  naturalist,  the  hunter,  the  trader,  and  the  phy- 
sician, as  well  as  those  of  the  missionary,  subordinating 
all  personal  bias  and  preconceptions  to  an  impartial 


3  PREFACE. 

effort  at  collecting  correct  data  about  everything,  and 
under  all  circumstances.  Hence,  while  we  know  there 
is  an  age  of  fable  in  the  history  of  all  early  explorations 
in  remote  and  unknown  lands,  it  must  recede  before 
increasing  light  and  the  growing  desire  on  the  part  of 
every  honest  man  to  know  the  business-like  truth.  The 
result  of  the  author's  investigations  cannot  but  be  of 
value  to  all  who  for  any  reason  desire  to  know  South 
Central  Africa  as  it  is. 

Jamaica,  West  Indies, 
October,  1893. 


OOE"TElsrTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FROM  LONDON  TO  CATAMBELLA, 

PAGE 

Early  promptings. — Jamaica. — White  men  in  the  tropics. — Purposes 
of  the  expedition. — Hearty  support. — Departure  for  Africa. — Lis- 
bon Harbor. — "Stuck  fast." — The  detective  camera. — The  Portu- 
guese.— On  board  the  "Cazengo." — Rebels.— St.  Thyago. — Barren 
rock. — St.  Thome. — Kabinda. — St.  Paul  de  Loanda. — Bishop  Tay- 
lor's Mission. —  Self-supporting  missions. — Circumstances  alter 
cases. — The  Liberian  Mission. — Pigeon  English. — A  quid  pro  quo. — 
Stowing  coal. — Arrival  at  Benguela. — An  evil  climate. — Adobe. — 
Catambella. — Delays. — The  railway. — Native  trade. — Slave  cara- 
vans.— Bad  sanitation   17 


CHAPTER  H. 

FROM  CATAMBELLA  TO  KWANJULULU. 

Toward  the  rising  sun. — A  waterless  country. — A  cold  night. — Native 
foot-tracks. — The  Esupwa  Pass. — Bad  water. — In  the  Cisangi  coun- 
try.— ^An  outbreak  in  camp. — Foraging. — Extremes  of  temperature. 
— Lost  in  the  forest. — In  a  game-pit. — Signals  of  distress. — Safe  in 
camp. — On  the  great  plateau. — Slave  shackles. — Native  graves. — 
In  dangers  oft. — The  river  Keve. — Utalama. — Indiscretion. — An  un- 
timely end. — Bailundu. — Oilumi. — The  American  mission. — Ekwi- 
kwi  inter\'iewed. — Trial  for  witchcraft. — Preparing  for  war. — Social 
laws. — Domestic  relationships. — Farewell  to  Cilumi. — Artificial  bee- 
hives.— Carriers. — Arrival  at  Kwanjululu   3G 

9 


10 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  III. 

KWANJULULU  AND  KOMONDONGO. 

PAGE 

An  English  mission. — The  illusion  dispelled. — Garanganze. — Five 
years'  work. — Their  own  superstition  best. — Echoes  of  Service. — Veg- 
etable products. — Visit  to  Komondongo. — The  late  war. — Cause  of 
the  rupture. — The  peacemaker. — Burning  villages. — Capture  of 
Chindunduma. — The  mission  station.— Adversities. — Chronic  bum- 
mers.— Mush  and  beans. — Courting  privations   55 


CHAPTER  IV. 

FROM  CISAMBA  TO  KUTUNDA. 

Decide  to  change  my  route. — Cisamba. — Collecting  carriers. — A  sur- 
gical operation. — White  man's  fetich. — Strange  comestibles. — Lu- 
ra-lu-ra-lu,  —  Native  obsequies. —  Ocimbombo. — Bacchanalian  ca- 
rousals.— ''On  show"  at  Kapoko. — The  cornet  scare. — "Putting  on 
side." — Sanambello. — Court  speeches. — "A  nation  of  the  unem- 
ployed."— Reflections. — Trouble  ahead. — A  lucky  shot. — Prescrib- 
ing for  the  sick. — Fourteen  days'  delay. — Rumors  of  war. — Native 
idiosyncrasies. — By  order  of  the  "  doctors." — Agricultural  prospects. 
— A  quiet  week. — White  ants. — Kundundu. — Desertions. — A  kind- 
hearted  chief   67 


CHAPTER  V. 

AMONG  THE  GANGUELLIANS. 

My  caravan  complete. — Face  to  face  with  a  lion. — A  thunderstorm. — 
Crossing  the  Kukema. — Nothing  for  dinner. — A  grand  concert. — ^A 
promising  field. — Petty  rulers. — Namby-pamby. —  Lady  mission- 
aries.— Trained  nurses. — A  wild  chief. — Ganguellians. — Hairdress- 
ing  extraordinary. — Fetich  charms. — A  fine  country. — Iron-smelt- 
ing.— Palavers  and  pigs. — The  Kwanza  River. — A  wi'inkle  in  river- 
crossing. — Native  dread  of  Europeans. — A  carved  stockade. — A 
strange  phenomenon. — Fever  in  the  camp. — Limping  into  camp. — 
In  the  wilderness. — Rubber  regions. — The  honey-bird. — Picturesque 
huts   88 


CONTENTS. 


11 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FROM  VO\YELUTWI-OXJAMBA  TO  THE  HUNTER'S  PARADISE. 

PAGE 

Five  hundred  natives  in  our  camp. — Daily  menu. — Scarcity  of  food. — 
Herds  of  buffalo. — The  ombanda-horn. — Soldier  ants. — Hostile  na- 
tives.— Peace  by  stratagem. — A  magnanimous  promise. — In  imris 
naturalibus. — Caterpillar  stew. — Making  an  impression. — A  whole- 
some awe, — Down  with  fever. — Extemporized  mortars. — A  dark 
outlook. — Carriers  on  strike. — A  complimentary  dance. — Eogues 
all  of  them. — Nurse  and  cook  by  turns. — Swamp  villages. — Fail  to 
control  the  elements. — Exorcising  the  spirits. — Struggles  in  the 
marshes. — Sparsity  of  villages. — Game  in  abundance. — Charged  by 
a  buffalo. — Has  the  Bihean  a  god? — Our  rain-maker. — Diviners. — 
Medicine-men. — Meat  and  to  spare. — A  hunter's  paradise   109 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

ARRIVAL  IX  THE  BAROTSE  VALLEY. 

Mutiny  in  camp. — Barotse  natives. — Milk  for  the  first  time. — The 
Zambesi  at  last. — Reception  by  King  Lewanika. — Yo  sho,  yo  sho, 
yo  sho!" — Salutations. — The  royal  residence. — ^'Fail  not,  at  your 
peril!" — Barotse  huts. — A  native  ser\dce. — Lewanika's  ambition. 
— Building  the  Nalikwanda. — Pa\nng  off  carriers. — Presented  with 
an  ox. — Dining  with  royalty. — The  burden  of  his  heart. — British 
Protectorate. — Thieves  and  robbers. — Monsieur  Coillard's  letter. — 
The  British  South  African  Company. — Concession-hunting. — An 
emphatic  protest. — A  letter  from  King  Lewanika   134 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

LIFE  IX  THE  BAROTSE  VALLEY. 

The  heroic  Frenchman. — A  model  mission  station. — Blighted  plans. — 
A  touching  story. — Thrilling  tales. — Truth  first. — Missionary  tidings. 
— Koreans. — Amazing  statements. — Futile  hopes. — Primitive  Meth- 
odist party. — Home  committees. — Virtually  a  prisoner. — Marotsi 
handicrafts. — In  the  lekhothla. — "A  sound  of  revelry  by  night." — A 
perpetual  vapor-bath. — A  bloodthirsty  queen. — Display  of  fireworks. 


12 


CONTENTS. 


— New  Year's  Day. — First  native  wedding  on  the  Zambesi. — Amused 
skepticism. — Ladies  take  a  back  seat. — Magic-lantern  exhibition. — 
Silence  reigns. — The  Mashukulumbwe. — Taking  their  measure   152 

CHAPTEE  IX. 

FROM  SEFULA  TO  SESHEKE. 

The  Sefula  Canal. — Haste  peculiar  to  white  men. — To  be  thrown  to  the 
crocodiles. — Preparing  for  the  river  joui'ney. — Parting  injunctions. 
— A  cloud  of  voracious  mosquitoes. — Waist-deep  in  the  swamp. — 
Afloat  on  the  Zambesi. — Ancestral  worship. — An  interview  with 
Makwai. — The  omande  shell. — The  great  fish-eagle. — Camped  at 
Senanga. — More  portentous  game. — Memories  of  the  Georgian  Bay. 
— Charming  surroundings. — A  pleasure  trip. — In  danger  of  an  up- 
set.— Dragging  canoes  overland. — Lion  stories. — The  Falls  of  Gonya. 
— Beautiful  cascades. — Veldt  schoons. — In  the  rapids. — The  aro- 
matic mopani. — A  fruitless  chase. — A  gorgeous  sunset. — The  grace- 
ful zebra   177 

CHAPTEE  X. 

FROM  SESHEKE  TO  BAMANGWATO. 

At  Sesheke. — Working  under  difficulties. — Indifference  of  the  natives. 
— Pay  for  ''working  book." — Not  quite  their  equal. — Capabilities  of 
the  soil. — Monsiem*  Goy's  letter. — Draining  and  irrigation. — Canoes 
capsized. — Kazungula. — The  French  mission. — Isolation  and  loneli- 
ness.— Premonitions  of  trouble.— Wholesale  desertions. — Lost  bear- 
ings.— Amonopolist. — Tropical  scenery. — Victoria  Falls. — For  hoiirs 
we  stand  gazing, — The  great  fissure. — Baboons. — Batokaland. — 
Eeturn  to  Kazungula. — Preparations  for  crossing  the  desert. — The 
tsetse-fly  belt. — Pandamatenka. — Eough  road. — A  broken  dessel- 
boom. — ^A  night  among  lions. — Program  of  a  day. — No  water. — 
Thirst,  thirst,  thii'st !— Bushmen   198 

CHAPTEE  XI. 

FROM  PALACHWE  TO  FORT  VICTORIA. 

Palachwe. — A  terrible  epidemic. — Malaria. — Semi-civilization. — Phys- 
ically losing  ground. — Khama  and  his  country. — Total  prohibition. 


CONTENTS. 


13 


— The  Mangwato  as  a  race. — Makalakas. — Darker  phases  of  African 
life. — McKenzie  and  Hepburn. — The  Matebele. — On  the  trek  again. 
— My  West  Indians  return. — A  monotonous  landscape. — Fort  Mac- 
loutsie. — Hyenas  and  jackals. — Mnltum  in  parvo. — Tuli  township. — 
Show  your  passport." — A  licensed  prospector. — Mealies  and  pump- 
kins.— Lobengula's  impis. — Matipi's  kraal. — Whiskey  shops. — Syn- 
dicates ''dead broke." — White  men's  graves. — ''Providential  Pass." 
— A  tragic  story. — Zimbabwe. — An  ancient  stronghold. — Fort  Vic- 
toria.— A  hundi-ed  miles  of  sand   228 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

FROM  FORT  VICTORIA  TO  IXYAMACAMBE. 

Fort  Charter. — A  deserted  village. — Chartered  companies, — Salisbury 
at  last ! — The  wealth  of  Mashonaland. — A  vegetable  market. — The 
argument  of  the  upper  ten.  —British  influence. — Missions  in  Mashon- 
aland.— A  lion-himt. — The  parson  scores  hea^'ily. — By  Tete  or  Sena, 
which? — Fantastic  kopjies. — Termite  mounds. — A  narrow  escape. — 
Policemen. — "Tie  him  up  till  morning." — Umtali. — Massikassi. — 
Among  the  Portuguese. — A  friend  in  need. — War  in  the  Humbi  coun- 
try.— Bartering  with  the  natives  for  food. — Abandoned  wagons. — A 
primitive  dug-out. — Courteous  natives. — Wading  the  Kulumadzi. — 
Gorongoza  Mountain. — Digging  for  water. — Spontaneous  combus- 
tion.— Baobabs. — Lovely  sweet  oranges   259 


CHAPTER  Xm. 

FROM  SENA  TO  BLAXTYRE. 

River  craft. — On  the  Shire. — The  Wissmann  expedition. — Landed  at 
Chiromo. — Trouble  with  Her  Majesty's  customs. — "  What  is  to-day?" 
— The  chief  of  Mbewe.^A  defenseless  position. — BlantjTe. — Might 
is  right. — Jtlisguided  men, — Boycotted. — Wild  hallucinations. — 
Courting  a  martyr's  death. — Dr.  EUinwood  speaks. — Abortive  asceti- 
cism.— Faith  cure. — Cheap  missionaries. — Poor  economy. — A  for- 
eign tramp   287 


14 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FROM  NYASA  TO  CHINDE. 

PAGE 

Bush  fires. — A  strong  current  and  head  wind. — Myriads  of  red  ants. — 
Tampans. — On  the  back  of  a  hippo. — Lake  Nyasa. — Livingstonia. 
— A  storm  on  the  lake. — Anchored  at  Bandawe. — The  Free  Chm-ch 
Mission. — ''Black  ivory." — "Longed  to  enslave  them." — Not  solicit- 
ing commiseration. — Ungrateful. — Lip  "improvers." — "  Mua\i  "  or- 
deal.— Fertile  hills  of  Angoniland. — Liberty  of  conscience. — Baobab 
Island. — A  choral  service. — Retm*nto  Blantyre. — Bound  for  Chinde. 
— The  Indian  Ocean   305 


CHAPTER  XV. 

A  RETROSPECT. 

A  summary. — Jamaicans. — Missionaries  wanted. — French  mission 
stands  alone. — Testimony  in  favor  of  West  Indian  assistants. — Un- 
occupied fields. — Sparse  population. — Interpreters. — Medical  mis- 
sions.— ^Extravagant  waste  of  ability. — Native  doctors. — Conclusion.  325 


APPENDIX. 


Equipment. — Tents  versus  huts. — Clothing. — Firearms. — Barter  goods. 
— Commissariat. — Medicine. —  Tabloids. — Fever. —  Insomnia. — "Wa- 
ter.— Coolers. — Light. — Photography   339 


ILLUSTRATIONS.* 


Frontispiece. 

Catambella  Facing  page  22 

Olombingo  Rock  Mountains   28 

Stockaded  Village,  Cisamba   34 

Camp  at  Cisamba   39 

BiHEAN  POMBIEROS  (HeADMEN)   45 

Building  Mission  House,  Cisamba   50 

Native  Women,  Cisamba   56 

Women  Pounding  Corn   61 

Ganguellian  Village   66 

Group  of  Ganguellians   72 

Crossing  the  Quitu   78 

Expedition  at  Kangamba   86 

Lewanika  Holding  Court   94 

Marotsi  Salutations   103 

Monsieur  Coillard  and  Native  Boys   109 

Lewanika  in  War  Dress   114 

Mission  Station,  Sefula   121 

Madame  Coillard's  Grave  : . . .  127 

Primitive  Methodist  Party   134 

Lewanika's  Band   140 

Wild  Batoka  Warriors   146 

Macwai,  Queen  of  Barotse,  and  Slave-girls   151 

Marotsi  Pastimes   156 

Native  Wedding,  Sefula   162 


*  These  illustrations  are  covered  by  eopyi'iglit.    All  rights  reserved. 

15 


16  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Mashukulumbwe  Natives  Facing  ijage  167 

On  the  Zambesi   172 

Falls  of  Gonya   176 

Horseshoe  Falls  op  Gonya   181 

Zambesi  Boatmen   187 

Mission  Station,  Sesheke   193 

Kazungula  Mission  Station   199 

Victoria  Falls  (Western  Cataract)   205 

Victoria  Falls  (Near  the  Center)   210 

Abrupt  Bend  and  Profile  Cliff,  Zambesi   216 

Pandamatenka   220 

Khajma,  Chief  of  Bamangwato   226 

Water-cart — ^^Iangwato   234 

Crossing  the  Lundi   240 

Zimbabwe  Euins   247 

Bushmen's  Drawings   253 

Pug-mill  for  Brickmaking,  Blantyre   260 

Angoni  Slave  Warriors   269 

Group  of  Yaos  (Shire  Highlands)   276 

Livingstonia   284 

Graves  at  Livingstonia   290 

Mission  Station,  Band  awe   298 

Native  Women,  Band  a  we   304 

Native  Women,  Likoma   310 

Nyasa  Fleet,  Likoma   315 

Katunga  (Livingstone's  Old  Servant)  and  his  Wives   323 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE  IN 
SOUTH  CENTRAL  AFRICA. 


CHAPTER  L 

FKOM  LONDON  TO  CATAMBELLA. 

Early  promptings. — Jamaica. — "^Tiite  men  in  the  tropics. — Purposes  of 
the  expedition. — Hearty  support. — Departure  for  Africa. — Lisbon  Har- 
bor.— "Stuck  fast." — The  detective  camera. — The  Portuguese. — On 
board  the  Cazengo." — Rebels.— St.  Thyago. — Barren  rock. — St.  Thome. 
— Kabinda. — St.  Paul  de  Loanda. — Bishop  Taylor's  Mission. — Self-sup- 
porting missions. — Circumstances  alter  cases. — The  Liberian  Mission. — 
Pigeon  English. — A  quid  iwo  quo. — Stowing  coal. — Arrival  at  Benguela. 
— An  evil  climate. — Adobe. — Catambella. — Delays. — The  railway. — Na- 
tive trade. — Slave  caravans. — Bad  sanitation. 

IN  early  boyhood  a  deep  interest  was  created  in  my 
mind  regarding  Africa  and  its  people  by  reading 
tlie  life  and  travels  of  Robert  Moffat.  Later  on  the 
writings  of  Dr.  Livingstone,  the  story  of  his  lonely  and 
tragic  death,  and  witnessing  his  funeral  in  1874,  added 
fresh  stimulus  to  my  purpose  of  visiting  some  day  the 
"  Dark  Continent."  I  wished  to  see  for  myself  the 
actual  condition  of  the  African,  that  I  might  be  the 
better  qualified  to  plead  his  cause  among  English- 
speaking  people,  who  have,  particularly  during  this 
century,  proven  themselves  above  all  other  nations 

17 


18 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


the  pioneers  of  civilization,  Christianity,  and  hnmane 
government. 

Ill-health  debarred  me  from  the  immediate  realiza- 
tion of  my  hopes,  and  symptoms  of  pulmonary  trouble 
compelled  me,  toward  the  end  of  1874,  to  seek  a  more 
genial  climate.  This  I  found  in  Jamaica,  West  Indies, 
where  the  bulk  of  the  population,  though  not  African, 
are  at  least  of  African  descent,  and  there  I  lived  and 
labored  at  my  profession  until  1890. 

My  physical  strength  being  then  completely  restored, 
the  work  under  my  charge  firmly  established  and  con- 
ducted by  a  competent  staff  of  assistants,  and  the  long- 
cherished  desire  to  travel  in  no  way  abated,  I  felt  that 
the  time  had  come  when  I  could  leave  my  work  for  a 
year  or  two. 

Meantime,  accounts  were  frequently  being  received 
from  Central  Africa  of  the  privations,  hardships,  and 
sufferings  of  those  who  were  endeavoring  to  lead  the 
van  of  light  and  knowledge  into  the  dark  interior — 
obtaining  little  or  no  aid  or  sympathy  from  the  natives, 
for  whose  benefit  they  had  risked  so  much.  Treading 
the  clay,  cutting  the  sticks  and  grass,  and  with  their 
own  hands  building  the  humble  abodes  that  are  to  be 
their  homes — white  men  cannot,  in  the  tropics,  do  this 
with  impunity  and  live.  The  painful  fact  is  all  too 
conclusive  from  the  fearful  death-rate  among  those  who 
have  attempted  it  on  the  Congo,  the  West  Coast,  and 
elsewhere. 

On  looking  around  among  the  young  men  of  Jamaica 
connected  with  our  mission,  I  was  strongly  impressed 
with  the  idea  that,  having  been  brought  up  and  trained 
amid  surroundings  the  most  favorable  to  fitting  them 


PURPOSE  OF  EXPEDITION. 


19 


for  usefulness  in  their  fatherland,  as  mechanics,  build- 
ers, and  planters,  by  such  services  (could  their  natural 
lack  of  "  stick-at-it-iveness "  and  backbone  be  over- 
come) they  might  relieve  the  white  man  of  manual  toil, 
permitting  him  to  devote  his  time  to  the  translation 
and  teaching  of  the  native  languages. 

To  put  this  scheme  to  the  test  was  now  my  intention, 
and  although  a  dark  enough  program  was  presented  of 
the  probable  dangers  to  be  encountered,  in  the  form  of 
malarial  climates,  deadly  fevers,  wild  beasts,  fatigue, 
hunger,  and  thirst,  volunteers  to  accompany  me  were 
not  lacking,  of  whom  I  accepted  six  likely  young  fel- 
lows. On  the  11th  of  February,  1891,  I  sailed  for  Eng- 
land, whence,  as  also  from  Scotland,  the  United  States, 
and  Canada,  I  received  the  heartiest  support  and  finan- 
cial aid  toward  the  outfits  and  passages  of  the  colored 
men ;  but  I  preferred  to  defray  my  own  expenses. 

The  next  few  weeks  were  spent  mostly  in  London, 
selecting  and  purchasing  the  varied  paraphernalia  and 
equipment  required  for  camp  life  in  a  "foodless  and 
sliopless  land."  Further  on  I  will  enumerate,  for  the 
information  of  those  who  may  intend  to  travel  through 
similar  regions,  not  so  much  of  what  articles  my  outfit 
consisted,  but  rather  a  list  of  those  things  actual  ex- 
perience proved  to  be  the  most  useful.  Very  many 
accessories  are  recommended  by  outfitters  because 
other  travelers  have  included  them  in  their  kits,  which 
on  the  march  are  found  to  be  not  only  useless,  but 
burdensome,  and  at  last  must  be  left  behind.  Nor  are 
the  counsels  of  those  in  the  field  always  infallible,  as 
many  of  them  settle  down  within  easy  access  of  the 
coast  and  know  but  little  of  the  requirements  for  long 


20 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


journeys  tlirongli  the  interior.  A  good  rule  to  follow 
is  to  take  nothing  that  one  can  possibly  do  without,  as 
the  carrier  difficulty  increases  year  by  year,  and  the 
progress  of  a  caravan  is  often  in  inverse  ratio  to  the 
amount  of  its  baggage.  "Picnic  baskets,"  "jimcrack 
notions,"  and  miiUiim  in  parvo''''  must  give  place  to 
the  more  important  well-chosen  stores  of  food,  medi- 
cines, and  medical  comforts,  on  which  the  health  and 
even  the  life  of  the  European  will  in  a  great  measure 
depend. 

Preparations  completed,  the  17th  of  April  found  the 
Jamaica  men  and  myself  at  Waterloo  Station,  sur- 
rounded by  a  host  of  kind  friends  who  had  come  to 
bid  us  Grodspeed  and  a  final  farewell.  A  few  hours 
more  brought  us  alongside  the  steamship  "  Trojan,"  as 
she  lay  in  Southampton  docks.  Amid  the  bustle  and 
confusion  of  embarking  the  ship's  bell  rings — the  signal 
that  the  time  for  departure  has  arrived.  The  gangway 
is  di-awn  up,  the  hawsers  slipped,  and  the  vessel  stands 
out  to  sea. 

Benguela,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  is  our  desti- 
nation by  water.  And  why  Benguela  I  Chiefly  be- 
cause it  has  the  reputation  of  affording  facilities  for 
obtaining  carriers,  slave  routes  for  the  interior  starting 
from  that  point. 

The  short  run  to  Lisbon  gave  no  experience  worthy 
of  note.  A  good  ship,  pleasant  company,  and  a  smooth 
sea — this  told,  the  rest  of  our  life  on  board  a  mail 
steamer  can  easily  be  imagined  by  any  one  who  has 
crossed  the  Atlantic ;  and  in  these  days,  who  has  not  ? 

On  the  20tli  we  enter  the  mouth  of  the  Tagus — 
Lisbon  Harbor.    A  charming  view  of  the  city  presents 


THE  PORTUGUESE. 


21 


itself  as  we  steam  up  the  river.  The  weather  is  all  that 
could  be  desired,  fresh  but  balmy;  air,  a  delightful 
change  from  the  bleak  winds  and  drizzling  rains  we 
left  in  Southampton.  Mile  after  mile  the  city  unfolds 
before  us — a  grand  panorama  of  splendid  buildings, 
covering  the  long  range  of  hills  on  which  it  is  built, 
rising  rank  upon  rank,  tier  upon  tier,  from  the  water's 
edge  to  the  highest  summits,  with  a  sky  overhead  beau- 
tifully clear  and  blue.  Anything  more  attractive  or 
more  picturesque  I  have  never  seen,  in  any  country. 
Here  we  must  land  and  tranship  to  a  Portuguese 
steamer,  as  the  "  Trojan "  does  not  call  at  West  Coast 
ports;  and  we  are  transferred  to  the  cranky-looking 
craft  of  a  tender  that  is  to  take  us  ashore.  Three  hours 
are  spent  in  this  tub,  for  the  tide  is  low  and  she  gets 
stuck  fast  in  the  mud.  Some  of  the  passengers  suggest 
chartering  a  couple  of  the  fishermen's  punts  that  are 
pulling  past  us ;  but  this  idea  is  voted  down  as  undig- 
nified, and  we  meekly  wait  for  the  turn  of  the  tide. 

At  last  we  reach  the  landing-stage — a  flight  of  stone 
steps  leading  up  to  the  magnificent  square  of  Terreiro 
do  paco,  with  its  grand  Arco  da  Rua  Agusta,  an  eques- 
trian statue  of  King  Joseph  I.  in  the  center. 

Stepping  ashore,  detective  camera  in  hand,  hoping  to 
get  some  snap  shots  on  objects  of  interest,  a  diminutive 
customs  ofiicer  demands  to  know  what  the  box  con- 
tains; but  my  limited  knowledge  of  Portuguese  fails 
to  convince  him  that  I  have  nothing  in  it  to  peddle, 
when  it  occurrs  to  me  to  show  him  the  reflection 
of  King  Joseph  on  the  "finder."  This  is  conclusive, 
and  I  pass  on  to  the  center  of  the  city.  The  scene 
changes.    Fewer  adjectives  will  satisfy  us  now  than 


22 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


when  describing  Lisbon  from  the  steamer's  deck. 
Surely  distance  lent  enchantment  to  the  view:  the 
otherwise  fine  edifices  are  ill-kept  and  dirty,  with'  a 
general  out-at-elbows  look,  matching  the  majority  of 
the  inhabitants. 

But  what  a  lot  of  little  people !  A  stay  of  several 
days  in  this  the  Portuguese  capital  did  not  remove  our 
first  impression,  that,  if  for  nothing  else,  it  is  at  least 
remarkable  for  its  undersized  citizens.  But  we  must 
not  remark  on  this,  as  already  we  see  their  eyes  flash 
and  fists  clenched  menacingly  when  the  word  "  English  " 
is  whispered  in  their  presence. 

The  manner  of  dress  is  distinctly  Spanish,  and  of 
a  type — especially  among  the  working  classes — made 
familiar  to  us  by  Clark's  cotton-reel  pictures  of  the 
bull  fight.  Gray  and  loud  colors  predominate  every- 
where, and  on  everything. 

Our  steamer,  the  "  Cazengo,"  in  which  we  hope  to 
sail  for  Benguela,  is  now  in  the  river,  and  we  embark, 
only  to  learn,  however,  that  the  government  has  ordered 
her  detention  for  three  days  beyond  the  advertised 
date  of  sailing,  as  a  number  of  political  prisoners  who 
have  been  concerned  in  the  late  revolutionary  riots  in 
Oporto  are  to  be  sent  down  to  the  West  Coast.  Much 
against  our  will,  we  must  yield  to  the  delay.  The 
time  passes,  and  on  the  fourth  day  we  observe  barges 
being  tugged  toward  us  crowded  with  soldiers,  who 
with  fixed  bayonets  surround  the  prisoners — a  motley 
crew.  The  former  look  like  a  mixture  of  the  veriest 
riff-raff  of  half  a' dozen  different  companies  of  militia — 
a  perfect  medley  of  shapes  and  sizes :  round  shoulders, 
bow  legs,  and  unwashed ;  scarcely  a  man  standing  five 


ST.  THY  AGO. 


23 


feet  eiglit  among  them.  The  majority  were  smoking 
cigarettes  as  they  came  alongside. 

The  prisoners  seemed  jolly  enough,  hob-nobbing  with 
the  "  Soldados,"  shaking  hands  and  embracing  all  round 
as  they  parted ;  while  several  had  brought  their  man- 
dolins and  guitars,  with  which  to  wile  away  the  tedium 
of  the  years  they  anticipated  spending  in  exile.  After 
a  great  deal  of  fuss  and  no  little  hilarity,  they  are  got 
on  board,  about  a  hundred  in  all;  and  now  that  they 
feel  themselves  free,  some  brass  and  reed  instruments 
are  produced,  and  we  are  regaled  with  selections  of 
republican  music. 

The  next  port  of  call,  St.  Thyago,  we  reach  in  six 
days.  Still  no  extraordinary  incidents  to  relate;  the 
usual  monotonous  round  of  eating,  reading,  talking, 
and  sleeping  goes  on,  with  an  occasional  game  of 
quoits.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  epicures  if  we  men- 
tion of  what  the  cuisine  a  la  Portuguese  consists.  The 
dinner  menu  permits  of  no  variation,  but  may  be 
summed  up  thus ;  Seven  courses  of  meat  or  fowl ; 
sweets,  dessert,  and  coffee,  with  almost  total  absti- 
nence from  vegetables  of  any  kind.  The  light  table 
wine  "Vinho  tinto"  is  supplied  ad  lib.,  but,  to  the 
credit  of  the  Portuguese,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that 
they  are  certainly  a  temperate  people  as  compared  with 
those  of  more  northern  climes,  for  not  once  during  the 
voyage  did  we  see  spirits  used,  nor  any  one  the  least 
inebriated. 

The  small  island  of  St.  Thyago  belongs  to  Portugal, 
and,  judging  from  its  appearance,  we  would  say  it  is 
not  likely  to  be  coveted  by  any  other  nation.  The 
town  is  built  on  an  eminence  some  two  hundred  feet 


24 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


above  sea-level ;  it  has  a  square  and  three  streets  run- 
ning parallel  with  one  another,  and  a  population  of 
about  three  thousand.  How  they  live  is  a  mystery, 
for  both  hill  and  plain  present  a  dreary  expanse  of  bar- 
ren rock  and  sand,  destitute  of  even  a  trace  of  vegeta- 
tion, with  the  exception  of  here  and  there  a  hollow 
where  a  few  parched-looking  cocoanut  palms  struggle 
for  existence. 

We  visit  the  marketplace,  expecting  that  samples 
of  whatever  the  island  produces  will  be  seen  there. 
And  it  is  so:  a  few  baskets  of  beans,  some  tobacco, 
and  scores  of  beggars,  all  extending  their  dirty  hands 
at  once  as  soon  as  we  appear  within  the  gates.  The 
people  are  mostly  African,  of  the  ordinary  type ;  a  few 
are  Portuguese;  and  there  are  three  Englishmen,  em- 
ployees of  the  Cable  Company. 

On  the  8th  of  May  we  arrive  at  St.  Thome,  a  beau- 
tiful island,  also  a  Portuguese  possession.  The  town 
resembles  somewhat  parts  on  the  north  side  of  Ja- 
maica. Here,  unlike  St.  Thyago,  the  scenery  is  very 
rich ;  the  hills  are  clad  to  the  top  with  luxuriant  ver- 
dure, cocoanut  and  date  palms,  bread-fruit  and  avocada 
pears,  puapuas  and  bananas.  This  is  accounted  for 
probably  by  the  fact  that  the  island  is  situated  within 
the  rain  belt — its  southern  end  being  on  the  equator. 

"We  called  at  Kabinda  on  the  11th,  where  we  took 
on  forty-two  natives  to  work  cargo.  This  was  our 
first  glimpse  of  the  African  mainland,  which  is  here 
very  flat  and  uninteresting,  with  nothing  tropical  in 
its  appearance. 

Next  day  we  reached  St.  Paul  de  Loanda,  the  chief 
of  the  Portuguese  settlements  on  the  West  Coast.  We 


sr.  PAUL  DE  LOANDA. 


25 


had  a  tedious  delay  here  of  several  days,  on  account  of 
the  many  packages  to  be  slowly  transferred  to  lighters, 
and  as  slowly  towed  ashore.  No  one  is  in  a  hurry. 
Time  seems  to  be  of  no  value  to  these  people.  They 
reverse  the  old  adage  and  '''  never  do  to-day  what  can 
be  put  off  till  to-morrow."  The  city  is  said  to  have  a 
population  of  six  thousand,  made  up  of  about  four 
hundred  Portuguese,  the  rest  negroes. 

Livingstone  arrived  here  with  his  six  Makalolo  in 
May,  1854,  and  spent  long  weeks  on  a  sick-bed  at  the 
house  of  his  friend,  the  British  commissioner  for  the 
Suppression  of  the  Slave  Trade.  He  traveled  from 
Kurmuan,  through  the  Kalahari  Desert  with  its  shade- 
less  glare,  the  deep  gloom  of  forests,  and  drenching 
rains,  contracting  an  intermittent  fever  that  almost 
ended  his  earthly  career  ere  he  reached  Loanda — as  he 
said,  a  "  bag  of  bones." 

The  buildings  look  as  if  they  were  intended  to  resist 
bombardment,  so  heavy  and  bare  are  they,  with  but 
few  piazzas  or  porticos  to  relieve  the  prison-like  walls. 
The  stores  have  little  or  no  display  of  goods  around 
the  doors,  and  are  destitute  of  windows.  On  going 
ashore  we  found  all  the  shops  shut,  and  for  explanation 
were  informed  that  it  was  breakfast-time.  It  seems 
to  be  the  rule  in  Portuguese  towns  (in  Africa,  at  least) 
that  all  places  of  business  be  closed  once  a  day,  for  a 
couple  of  hours,  to  permit  the  lusy  traders  and  their 
assistants  to  partake  of  their  meals  in  peace,  and  at 
leisure. 

Eecollecting  that  Bishop  Taylor  told  me,  when  I  met 
him  in  Indianapolis  during  the  previous  winter,  that 
he  had  an  important  station  at  Loanda,  after  a  little 


2G   *  REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 

inquiry  I  was  directed  to  the  mission  house,  situated 
on  the  top  of  a  hill  overlooking  the  town.  It  stands 
alone  on  a  sandy  mound,  built  after  the  bungalow 
style,  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  main 
road.  I  found  the  wife  of  the  missionary  in  charge, 
with  her  children,  at  home;  but  her  husband,  who 
works  on  the  railway  during  the  week,  was  absent. 

Whatever  may  be  said  on  missionary  platforms  con- 
cerning the  feasibility  of  self-supporting  missions  in 
Africa,  so  far  as  I  have  seen  or  learned  it  is  a  grand 
mistake.  The  theory  may  be  all  right,  but  practically 
it  is  an  absolute  failure.  Actual  facts  laid  bare,  and 
the  experience  of  scores  of  earnest  men  now  in  the 
field  prove,  that  it  is  infinitely  more  difiicult  for  a 
white  man  to  earn  his  living  in  Africa  than  in  any 
European  country — unless,  of  course,  he  abandons 
mission  work  and  confines  himself  solely  to  trading. 
Then  he  is  not  likely  to  have  much  influence  for  the 
furtherance  of  the  gospel  among  the  natives,  for  his 
calling  would  preclude  the  possibility  of  this.  Certain 
it  is,  that  a  man  who  must  toil  the  whole  week  through 
for  the  support  of  his  wife  and  children  can  have  but 
few  opportunities  for  evangelistic  work,  which  should 
surely  form  the  primary  object  in  sending  missionaries 
to  a  land  so  shrouded  in  darkness  and  superstition  as 
Africa. 

Mr.  P  does  what  he  can  in  gathering  a  few  men 

and  boys  (women  rarely  come)  on  Sunday  afternoons 
in  the  basement  of  the  house  (they  have  no  other 
meeting-place),  and  reads  and  speaks  to  them  in  Portu- 
guese, but  as  yet  without  any  apparent  results. 

The  bishop  seems  to  expect  much  from  the  training 


CIRCUMSTANCES  ALTER  CASES. 


27 


of  native  cliildren  as  future  missionaries  to  their  people. 
Good  enough,  if  he  could  by  a  civilized  upbringing 
change  their  hearts ;  but  even  Christian  influences  are 
not  sufficient  to  turn  the  wayward  into  paths  of  recti- 
tude, as  many  godly  parents  can  testify.  They  may 
acquire  some  knowledge  of  the  three  E's,  and  how  to 
dress  in  European  fashion — the  boys  developing  into 
idle  dudes  with  unlimited  conceit,  and  their  natural 
antipathy  for  honest  work  immeasurably  increased ; 
and  the  girls  will  be  much  sought  after  for  wives  by 
the  more  aristocratic  heathen  (as  has  been  the  experi- 
ence of  missions  on  the  Graboon  and  in  Sierra  Leone, 
etc.).  But  is  this  gain  to  the  kingdom  of  God!  Or  is 
this  the  work  Christ  has  sent  us  to  do  ? 

Nor  am  I  alone  in  my  conclusions.  In  the  issue  for 
February  of  this  year  of  The  Begions  Beyond,  one  who 
takes  a  deep  and  practical  interest  in  African  mission 
work  writes : 

"  Paul  said  to  Timothy,  *  Meditate  on  these  things ; 
give  thyself  wholly  to  them ; '  and  when  he  himself, 
for  special  reasons,  and  for  a  brief  time,  gave  himself 
to  manual  labor  and  tent-making,  it  tvas  not  in  uncivil- 
ised Africa!  He  had  not  to  learn  a  barbarous  lan- 
guage, or  to  get  acquainted  with  the  thoughts  and 
feelings  of  a  savage  people.  He  was  preaching  in 
his  mother-tongue,  to  his  fellow- Jews  in  the  familiar 
synagogue,  and  living  in  luxuriously  civilized  Corinth, 
where  his  hosts  attended  to  all  his  wants,  and  where 
he  had  neither  linguistic  studies  nor  translation  work 
nor  sickness  nor  dispensing  nor  school-teaching  nor 
long  journeys  to  distract  him.  A  very  different  state 
of  things !    Moreover — and  this  leads  to  a  very  impor- 


28 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


tant  point — there  was  a  good  market  at  hand  for  the 
tents  he  made ;  and  it  was  no  doubt  his  hosts,  not  he, 
who  attended  to  the  commercial  part  of  the  business. 

"  There  is  at  present  no  market  on  the  Cong-o  for  any- 
thing the  soil  will  grow,  hence  it  is  impossible  to  make 
money  by  any  form  of  agriculture,  even  if  a  man  does 
waste  his  time  over  it.  And  as  to  commerce,  whether 
it  be  the  foreign  trade  in  ivory,  or  the  repulsive  and 
time-wasting  domestic  trade  in  hippopotamus  flesh — 
which  involves  the  hunting,  killing,  and  cutting  up  of 
hippos,  the  drying  of  their  flesh,  and  the  bartering  of 
it  with  the  natives— or  whether  it  be  any  other  trade, 
all  alike  have  this  grave  disadvantage,  that  even  if 
by  their  means  self-support  could  to  some  extent  be 
attained  by  the  missionary,  it  would  immediately  put 
him  on  a  level  with  other  traders,  and  the  people  would 
conclude  that  self-interest  was  his  motive  for  dwelling 
among  them.  .  .  . 

"  The  only  ^  self-support '  possible,  therefore,  in  Africa 
is  the  mere  production  for  domestic  use  of  a  supply 
of  vegetable  and  animal  food  on  the  station.  All  mis- 
sionaries who  can  secure  land  round  their  stations  go 
in  for  this,  naturally,  as  soon  as  they  possibly  can,  for 
the  sake  of  health,  comfort,  and  independence. 

"But  this  is  not  self-support !  Without  committing 
the  very  folly  and  sin  before  alluded  to  of  wasting 
their  unspeakably  precious  time  and  talents,  mission- 
aries cannot  raise  even  this  ivitli  their  oiun  hands.  G-ar- 
dening  takes  much  time,  even  at  home.  We  should 
not  think  it  wise  economy  for  ministers  to  spend  their 
days  in  cultivating  potatoes  and  cabbages,  or  in  feeding 
pigs  and  goats,  even  in  England.    How  much  more 


l 

I 

r 
\ 


SELF-SUPPORTING  MISSIONS. 


29 


absurd  for  missionaries  to  do  it  in  Africa,  where  thoir 
time  and  knowledge  are  so  precious,  where  labor  under 
a  tropical  sun  is  dangerous  to  the  health  and  life  of 
white  men,  where  native  labor  is  cheap  and  abundant, 
where  the  people  are  naked  and  glad  to  earn  ^  cloth '  to 
cover  themselves  by  working  for  the  white  man,  and 
where  .idleness  is  a  vice  which  we  want  to  cure  in 
them. 

"  Common  sense  dictates  the  employment  of  the  Afri- 
can in  the  actual  work  of  the  garden.  They  under- 
stand better  than  the  missionary  their  own  soil,  pro- 
ductions, and  climate,  and  can  do  the  work  quickly 
and  easily.  The  white  man  must  indeed  superintend 
operations  himself,  or  get  his  wife  to  do  it,  in  addition 
to  her  already  onerous  domestic  duties ;  but  that  need 
not  take  much  time. 

"  But  this,  again,  is  not  self-support !  ^  No  pay,  no 
work,'  in  Africa  as  in  England.  The  natives  have  no 
idea  of  serving  the  white  man  unless  he  gives  them  a 
quid  pro  quo.  They  will  not  work  for  love  either  of  the 
missionary  or  of  the  occupation.  But  they  see  and 
covet  many  of  his  European  articles — cloth,  cutlery, 
matches;  beads,  needles,  boxes,  or  what  not;  and  they 
will  work  for  these.  How  can  the  missionary  better 
begin  to  civilize  and  elevate  the  poor  savages  whose 
spiritual  and  physical  good  he  has  come  to  seek,  than 
by  giving  them  work  which  trains  them  to  industry, 
and  wages  in  the  form  of  the  primary  necessaries  of 
civilization  I  But  to  do  this  he  must  receive  barter 
goods  from  home.  These  cost  money  to  buy,  and  still 
more  to  transport  into  Central  Africa.  .  .  . 

"  Missionaries  must  cither  be  supported  by  the  na- 


30 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


tives  or  from  home ;  but  in  Central  Africa  self -support 
is  simply  impossible^  if  rapid  and  effective  evangeliza- 
tion of  the  Dark  Continent  is  to  be  attempted. 

"  The  Liberian  Mission  of  Bishop  Taylor  is  an  illus- 
tration of  this.  It  is  situated  on  the  coast,  where 
steamers  call  regularly,  and  among  professedly  Chris- 
tian negroes — a  very  much  easier  sphere,  consequently, 
than  the  wholly  unevangelized  interior,  a  thousand 
miles  from  the  coast.  Between  fifty  and  sixty  mission- 
aries have,  at  very  heavy  expense,  been  sent  out  since 
1887  in  connection  with  this  mission,  mostly  from 
America.  Six  of  the  party  died,  twenty-seven  (includ- 
ing families)  withdi-ew,  and  nineteen  remained  last  year. 
These  were  distributed  in  sixteen  stations,  so  that  a 
^  station '  was  for  the  most  part  a  solitary  man,  without 
any  helpers  or  resources.  What  has  been  the  mission- 
ary result  of  this  effort?  Some  houses  have  been  built 
by  the  missionaries'  own  hands,  some  vegetable  gardens 
cleared  and  planted,  and  some  coffee  plantations  in 
the  same  way ;  but  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  learn 
the  native  language,  to  translate  the  gospel  into  it,  or 
to  evangelize  the  Kroo  people.  The  missionaries  were 
instructed  to  preach  as  they  could  in  ^  pigeon  English ' 
(which  some  of  the  Kroos  understand),  and  to  try  and 
teach  the  children  English.  No  heathen  congregations 
were  gathered,  no  itinerating  attempted,  and  no  preach- 
ing to  the  heathen.  One  who  worked  three  years  in 
this  ^  mission,'  and  whose  heart  was  burning  to  evangel- 
ize the  Kroo  people,  found  it  impossible  to  get  time 
for  the  study  of  the  language.  He  had  to  build  his 
house,  clear  and  cultivate  his  garden,  to  light  his  fire 
and  cook  his  food,  and  even  to  wash  his  clothes;  for 


BENGUELA  SIGHTED. 


31 


of  course  he  had  no  means  of  paying  to  a  native  ser- 
vant even  the  sixpence  a  day  demanded. 

"  Is  it  not,  therefore,  conspicuously  unwise,  and  the 
very  worst  possible  economy,  to  encourage,  or  even 
permit^  the  missionary  to  diminish  his  already  scanty 
leisure  for  the  real  work  for  which  he  goes  to  Africa, 
by  frittering  it  away  in  manual  labor  in  oi'der  that  he 
may  have  food  to  eat  ? 

"We  trust  that  all  who  have  been  led  to  attempt, 
from  right  desires,  this  wrong  plan,  will  do  as  we  did 
ourselves — for  we  once  tried  it — abandon  it  as  a  mis- 
chievous delusion.  ^  The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.' 
When  our  Lord  began  His  ministry  He  laid  aside  His 
carpentering.  Missionary  work  in  Africa  is  hard  enough 
in  any  case — why  make  it  harder!  Life  there  is  all 
too  apt  to  be  brief — ^why  waste  it  while  it  lasts !  And 
why  go  the  way  to  shorten  it  ? " 

The  last  five  or  six  days  on  board  the  "  Cazengo " 
were  anytliing  but  agreeable.  By  some  bungling  ar- 
rangement five  hundred  tons  of  coal  stowed  in  the 
after-hold  had  to  be  hoisted  on  deck  and  removed  in 
wheelbarrows  by  the  Kabindas  to  the  bunkers  for'ard, 
resulting  in  our  being  kept  in  an  atmosphere  of  coal- 
dust,  which  permeated  and  blackened  everything.  But 
on  the  morning  of  May  18th  Benguela  was  sighted, 
and  here  ended  our  ocean  voyage. 

The  town  stands  only  a  few  feet  above  sea-level,  on 
an  unbroken  sandy  plain.  It  boasts  a  first-rate  iron 
pier,  with  powerful  derrick  crane,  and  a  tramway  for 
the  conveyance  of  goods  to  the  custom-house  and  gov- 
ernment warehouses  adjoining — all  spacious  and  com- 
modious buildings,  constructed  of  imported  material. 


32 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


and  around  which  several  police  sentries  are  posted, 
convicts  from  the  East  Coast  being  employed  for  this 
purpose. 

On  landing,  I  began  to  realize  how  terrible  was  the 
heat  on  seeing  a  fox-terrier  belonging  to  one  of  the 
newly  arrived  passengers  being  led  along  the  street, 
when  suddenly  it  wheeled  round  two  or  three  times, 
gave  a  yelp,  and  rolled  over  on  its  back,  dead.  Fear- 
ing a  like  fatality  befalling  my  bull-dog  Gryp,  I  got  her 
under  shade  and  procured  water  for  her  as  soon  as 
possible. 

The  climate  of  Benguela  has  an  evil  reputation,  and 
the  odds  are  very  much  against  the  probability  of  its 
improving,  chiefly  because  of  the  low-lying  situation 
of  the  town,  preventing  proper  drainage  and  favoring 
malarial  exhalations.  Within  the  past  few  weeks  seven 
European  traders  have  been  cut  off  by  hsematuric  fever. 
Few  white  men  can  live  here  for  any  length  of  time 
without  frequent  visits  to  their  mother-country. 

The  streets  are  broad  and  well  kept,  with  a  row  of 
trees  on  each  side,  mostly  sycamores.  The  houses  are 
built  of  adobe  (sun-dried  bricks)  laid  with  mud;  the 
roofs  and  floors  are  tiled.  A  large  square  forms  the 
business  center,  where  around  each  door  we  see  crowds 
of  natives  who  have  brought  from  the  interior  ivory, 
wax,  india-rubber,  etc.,  receiving  in  exchange  cotton 
stuffs,  guns,  gunpowder,  beads,  and  "aguardente" 
(white  rum). 

By  previous  arrangement  with  my  agent,  Mr.  Kam- 
merman,  manager  of  the  Dutch  House,  I  found  several 
carriers  waiting  to  take  our  personal  baggage  on  to 
Catambella,  a  town  some  sixteen  miles  north,  where 


CATAMBELLA. 


33 


our  caravan  was  to  be  made  up  for  the  interior.  We 
started  in  the  evening  along  a  fairly  good  rend  but 
for  the  deep  sand  and  dust,  and  arrived  at  the  Dutch 
House  about  ten  o'clock.  But  this  hasty  retreat  from 
Benguela  proved  ill-advised ;  for  if  we  were  in  a  hurry 
the  shipping  officials  were  not,  and  in  a  couple  of  days 
I  had  to  return  again  to  see  my  goods  through,  and 
then  found  that  the  greater  part  had  gone  on  by  the 
"  Cazengo  "  to  Mossamedes.  Thus  I  had  to  wait  several 
days  until  she  returned;  then  two  more  were  wasted 
in  transferring  them  from  the  lighters  to  the  wharf — 
a  bit  of  business  that  would  have  been  completed  on 
the  Clyde,  the  Thames,  or  the  Hudson  in  half  an  hour. 

Mr.  Greshoff  (also  of  the  Dutch  House)  kindly  took 
charge  of  all  my  papers  and  had  everything  passed 
through  the  customs  without  any  trouble.  But  I  had 
still  to  draw  on  my  almost  exhausted  stock  of  patience, 
for  now  the  packages  were  in  the  hands  of  the  dilatory 
railway  company,  and  although  a  track  to  Catambella 
was  commenced  six  years  ago,  not  more  than  half  the 
distance  is  as  yet  completed.  We  were  not  surprised 
at  this,  after  having  had  pointed  out  to  us  two  brass 
guns  lying  in  the  sand  near  the  wharf,  for  which  car- 
riages were  ordered  in  1790  and  are  still  expected. 

The  navvies  employed  for  the  heaviest  work  in  the 
construction  of  the  railway  are  native  women,  many 
of  them  toiling  along  under  the  scorching  sun  with 
pick  and  shovel,  or  carrying  rails,  sleepers,  spikes,  etc., 
with  babies  strapped  to  their  backs. 

A  large  trade  with  the  natives  is  carried  on  in  Ca- 
tambella, and  during  our  stay  of  ten  days  we  had  an 
opportunity  of  observing  its  general  character.  The 


34 


REALITY  yERSUS  ROMANCE. 


products  of  the  far  interior  are  bartered  for  the  most 
common  qnahty  of  chea23  and  trashy  goods  it  is  possi- 
ble to  manufacture — some  of  the  caUeoes  resembhng 
cheese-cloth,  though  not  so  strong;  shoddy  blankets; 
long  flint-lock  guns,  with  gas-pipe  barrels,  white-pine 
stocks  painted  red,  and  bound  with  numerous  rings 
of  tinsel;  white  rum,  etc.  The  headmen  of  caravans 
receive  much-appreciated  presents  in  the  shape  of  dis- 
carded military  clothing,  helmets,  tunics,  and  over- 
coats, by  way  of  encouragement  to  come  again.  It  is 
no  unusual  sight  to  see  those  lucky  individuals  strut- 
ting behind  their  little  company  as  they  leave  for  the 
jom-ney  homeward — one  trigged  out  in  an  old  pan-  of 
'42  tartan  trowsers  and  a  helmet  of  the  London  police ; 
another  with  a  dismantled  busby  and  a  footman's 
swallow-tailed  coat;  next  a  silk  tile  and  the  scarlet 
tunic  of  a  Highland  soldier.  Of  course,  in  each  case 
you  must  add  Africa's  national  garment — the  loin- 
cloth ! 

Every  morning,  without  exception,  caravans  vary- 
ing in  size  up  to  hundreds  of  natives  come  trudging 
into  the  town  in  long  straggling  lines,  each  can-ier 
bearing  a  load  on  his  or  her  shoulder  or  head  of  from 
forty  to  eighty  pounds  weight.  The  most  pitiable 
sight  it  is  possible  to  witness  is  the  long  procession, 
chiefly  women,  boys,  and  girls,  limping  along,  footsore, 
with  swollen  ankles  and  shoulders  chafed  by  burdens 
all  too  heavy  for  theii'  emaciated  bodies.  A  large  per- 
centage of  these  are  slaves,  bought  in  the  interior  by 
half-breed  traders  for  a  few  yards  of  cloth,  and  retm^n 
to  their  homes  no  more,  being  sold  on  putting  down 
their  loads  at  the  trader's  door.    I  saw  a  band  of  sixty 


SLAWE  CARAVANS. 


35 


such,  each  with  a  tin  tag  round  the  neck,  being  marched 
off  to  be  shipped  at  Benguela  for  one  of  the  Portuguese 
islands.  Were  tlmj  slaves?  Oh  no,  only  contracted 
labor.  Just  so.  Or  suppose  we  call  them  apprentices 
for  life!  What's  in  a  name — so  long  as  the  letter  of 
the  law  is  evaded  ?  Only  this  I  know :  that  they  were 
sold  to  their  present  owners  at  from  three  pounds  ster- 
ling to  six  pounds  per  caput. 

Long  open  sheds  are  provided  in  the  yards  of  the 
houses  ^t  which  the  natives  have  come  to  trade,  and 
after  a  few  days  these  become  loathsome  in  the  ex- 
treme, from  their  crowded  and  unsanitary  condition. 
The  death-rate  at  best  on  the  coast  is  very  high,  but 
add  the  filthy  state  of  the  kintouls,  as  these  inclosures 
are  called,  and  the  mortality  is  fearful.  Not  a  day 
passed  that  we  did  not  see  dead  bodies,  each  wrapped 
in  a  bit  of  dirty  cloth,  tied  to  a  pole  and  borne  on  the 
shoulders  of  two  men  to  the  top  of  the  adjacent  hill, 
where  they  are  thrown  over  the  other  side,  to  be  de- 
voured by  jackals  and  hyenas  during  the  night,  which 
is  made  dismal  by  their  weird  howls  as  they  fight 
over  their  ghastly  quarry.  Deceased  natives  who  have 
friends  are  carried  out  of  town  and  buried  by  the  way- 
side, so  that  for  over  a  mile  of  the  path  to  the  interior 
there  is  scarcely  a  yard  to  right  or  left  of  the  track  that 
has  not  a  grave. 


CHAPTEE  IT. 


FEOM  CATAMBELLA  TO  KWAXJULULU. 


Toward  the  rising  sim. — A  waterless  country. — A  cold  night. — Native 
foot-traeks. — The  Esui^wa  Pass. — Bad  water. — In  the  Cisangi  country. — 
An  outbreak  in  camp. — Foraging. — Extremes  of  temperature. — Lost  in 
the  forest. — In  a  game-pit. — Signals  of  distress. — Safe  in  camp. — On 
the  great  plateau. — Slave  shackles. — Native  graves. — In  dangers  oft. — 
The  river  Keve. — Utalama. — Indiscretion. — An  untimely  end. — Baihm- 
du. — Cilumi. — The  American  mission. — Ekwikwi  inter'sdewed. — Trial 
for  witchcraft. — Preparing  for  war. — Social  laws. — Domestic  relation- 
ships.— Farewell  to  Cilumi. — Artificial  beehives. — Carriers. — Arrival  at 
Kwanjululu. 


^OR  several  days  before  starting  mucli  lias  to  be 


±.  done  in  tlie  way  of  repacking  and  making  np  loads 
to  the  required  weight — sixty  pounds  per  man. 

But  at  lastj  on  the  29th  of  May,  we  are  ready,  and 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  turn  our  faces  to  the 
east  and  set  out  on  the  march  toward  the  Indian  Ocean. 
How  very  far  away  it  seems  to  us  now,  and  how  many 
weary  steps  must  be  taken  ere  that  goal  is  reached  and 
the  great  continent  crossed!  But  it  will  be  done  if 
health  and  life  are  granted  us.  I  take  the  lead  myself, 
with  two  of  the  Jamaicans,  the  other  four  bringing  up 
the  rear ;  all  of  us  feeling  "  very  fit,"  and  dehghted  to 
escape  from  the  pestilential  and  fever-stricken  coast. 

Our  path  lies  along  the  usual  caravan  route  to  Bihe. 
We  have  six  extra  men  to  carry  water  and  other  pro- 
visions through  the  waterless  country  between  here  and 


36 


A  COMFORTLESS  BIVOUAC. 


37 


the  Esupwa  Pass.  By  six  o'clock  we  camp  for  the  night, 
making  a  short  march  of  eight  miles ;  but  it  is  a  start. 

By  the  time  my  tent  is  pitched  the  food-boxes  have 
arrived,  and  we  set  about  preparing  supper,  gipsy 
fashion,  but  with  a  keen  relish  for  our  frugal  repast. 
By  8  P.M.  all  is  quiet,  a  score  of  camp-fires  blazing,  and 
around  each  the  prostrate  figures  of  several  men  with  a 
little  grass  for  a  bed,  and  no  covering  but  the  canopy 
of  heaven  and  their  meager  loin-cloths,  there  being 
neither  sufficient  wood  nor  grass  to  build  huts.  The 
dew  is  heavy  and  the  night  cold,  so  that  the  poor  fel- 
lows have  but  a  comfortless  bivouac.  By  daybreak 
all  are  astir.  There  is  time  only  for  a  hasty  cup  of 
coffee  with  a  few  biscuits,  or  the  remains  of  last  night's 
supper,  wherewith  to  fortify  the  inner  man  for  the 
road.  The  carriers  eat  nothing  in  the  morning,  but 
each  man,  seizing  his  load,  cold  and  shivering,  breaks 
into  a  half-trot,  and  follows  the  lead  along  the  narrow 
track,  that  winds  and  twists,  now  up  the  rugged  face 
of  a  hill,  and  anon  through  the  long  grass  of  the  valleys. 
These  tracks  are  mere  footpaths,  seldom  over  twelve  or 
fourteen  inches  in  width,  but  in  many  pi. ices  worn  into 
deep  ruts  by  the  rains  and  generations  of  native  traffic ; 
and  woe  betide  the  ankles  of  the  pedestrian  if  he  wears 
low  shoes  with  sharp  heels.  Their  general  direction  is 
as  straight  as  the  configuration  of  the  country  will 
permit ;  but  in  detail  they  turn  and  bend  in  the  most 
tortuous  fashion,  without  any  apparent  reason.  A 
stone  or  stump  is  sufficient  to  switch  the  African  out 
of  his  course,  and  on  no  account  will  he  step  over  a 
fallen  tree,  be  it  ever  so  small,  if  by  making  a  detour 
he  can  get  round  it ;  in  a  short  time  the  white  ants  eat 


38 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


the  tree,  but  the  new  path  has  been  made,  grass  grows 
on  the  old,  and  so  it  remains  for  all  time. 

The  country  between  Catambella  and  the  Esupwa 
Pass — two  days'  march — is  the  most  uninteresting  and 
dreary  waste  imaginable.  Not  a  drop  of  water  is  to  be 
had,  and  the  land  yields  nothing  but  a  few  isolated 
bobs  of  rough,  reedy  grass;  and  although  we  get  an 
extensive  view  of  hills  and  plains,  there  is  nothing  to 
relieve  the  eye,  only  the  vast  stretch  of  stunted  scrub, 
with  here  and  there  a  puny  tree  with  gnarled  trunk  and 
shadeless  foliage.  But  on  the  30th  we  camped  by  the 
Esupwa  River,  and  had  a  delightful  swim  in  its  beau- 
tiful clear  waters,  the  natives  warning  us  to  keep  a 
sharp  lookout  for  alligators,  as  they  abound  here. 
Numerous  long-tailed  black  monkeys  grinned  at  us 
from  the  trees  as  we  performed  our  ablutions.  This 
is  a  charming  spot.  I  wonder  if  we  shall  come  across 
many  more  like  it ! 

Next  day  we  commenced  the  ascent  of  the  Esupwa 
Mountain — a  stilf  pull  over  immense  boulders  of  rocks. 
The  pass  reminds  me  very  forcibly  of  a  bit  of  Scottish 
Highland  scenery.  We  are  now  getting  up  to  the  great 
Central  African  plateau,  and  in  a  day  or  two  expect  to 
reach  an  altitude  of  five  thousand  feet  above  sea-level. 

Eeached  the  camping-ground  about  noon.  We  have 
not  seen  a  village,  and  only  one  human  habitation, 
since  leaving  the  coast.  We  had  to  wait  until  four 
o'clock  for  dinner,  as  the  only  means  of  obtaining  water 
was  by  digging  a  deep  hole  in  a  dry  river-bed,  and 
waiting  for  a  muddy  pool  to  form,  to  be  dipped  up 
in  cupfuls.  What  a  change  from  yesterday !  But  by 
boiling  and  allowing  it  to  settle,  we  collect  sufficient 


B/ID  IVATER. 


39 


for  our  immediate  use.  These  long  fasts  become  very 
trying,  especially  when,  after  a  long  march,  we  get  into 
camp  weary  and  hungry  about  2  p.m.,  having  had  noth- 
ing but  a  few  ounces  of  food  at  daybreak,  and  now 
to  wait  until  water  is  found  and  food  cooked !  To  eat 
biscuits  by  the  way  would  cause  thirst,  and  often  with- 
out the  means  of  allaying  it.  This  brings  us  down  to 
one  meal  a  day,  as,  by  the  time  dinner  is  over,  it  is  get- 
ting'dark,  and  after  a  chat  round  the  camp-fire,  rehears- 
ing the  experiences  of  the  day  and  the  prospects  for 
to-morrow,  we  are  glad  to  roll  ourselves  in  our  blankets 
and  go  to  sleep. 

Another  day  and  we  arrive  in  the  Cisangi  country, 
where,  near  a  small  village,  we  camp.  We  purchased 
some  sweet  potatoes,  the  poorest  I  have  ever  seen ;  also 
corn  on  the  cob,  the  longest  about  four  inches;  but 
when  we  look  at  the  poor  sandy  soil,  we  wonder  how 
it  yields  anything  at  all. 

The  last  of  the  loads  had  only  just  come  in,  when  I 
heard  loud  shrieks  proceeding  from  some  distance  be- 
hind my  tent.  Hastening  to  the  spot,  I  found  a  band 
of  my  carriers,  who,  presuming  on  the  fact  of  their 
being  with  a  white  man,  were  attacking  and  doing 
their  best  to  plunder  a  small  native  caravan  bound  for 
the  coast.  At  first  I  could  not  comprehend  what  all 
the  row  was  about,  until  the  excited  strangers  directed 
my  attention  to  several  men  retreating  toward  the 
camp,  each  carrying  some  article  he  had  seized.  Then 
I  took  in  the  situation.  Right  before  my  eyes  two 
burly  fellows  were  helping  themselves  to  small  bags  of 
meal,  carried  by  some  little  girls,  who  were  screaming 
piteously  and  begging  to  have  their  food  spared.  I 


40 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


made  signs — not  knowing  the  language — for  the  rob- 
bers to  desist,  but  in  vain;  they  pretended  not  to 
notice,  and  my  only  alternative  was  to  make  them  feel. 
Laying  hold  of  a  stick  that  was  handy,  I  applied  it 
with  some  vigor  across  the  shoulders  of  the  cowardly 
villains,  when  they  speedily  dropped  the  meal  and 
made  ofi.  In  a  very  short  time,  by  means  of  the  same 
stick,  I  succeeded  in  restoring  all  the  spoil,  and  walked 
with  the  scared  little  company  until  they  were  a  safe 
distance  from  my  men.  None  can  regret  more  than  I 
do  the  necessity  for  such  drastic  measures  being  re- 
sorted to ;  yet  it  is  imperative  that  a  clear  understand- 
ing be  arrived  at  between  the  leader  of  an  expedition 
and  his  men  on  the  question  of  plunder;  neglecting 
to  define  it  emphatically  at  the  start  would  probably 
mean  the  ruin  of  the  undertaking,  as  has  been  the 
experience  of  some  we  could  name,  besides  being  the 
cause  of  great  loss  of  life. 

The  small  defenseless  party  come  from  the  far  in- 
terior and  belong  to  a  powerful  tribe  lying  right  in 
our  route.  In  a  few  weeks  they  return  from  the 
coast,  pass  on  ahead  of  us,  and  report  the  assault  of  the 
Biheans  to  their  people.  The  former  have  nothing  to 
fear  in  this  case,  as  they  do  not  travel  beyond  their 
own  country;  but  the  injured  natives  sound  their 
slogan  as  the  white  man  approaches  their  territory, 
and  they  lay  wait  for  him.  If  he  refused  to  defend  the 
weak  and  wronged,  or  winked  at  the  depredations  of 
his  men,  he  must  now  fight  or  die — and  perhaps  both. 
I  am  persuaded  that  many  of  the  disasters  that  have 
befallen  large  expeditions  through  various  parts  of 
Central  Africa  might  have  been  averted  had  the  ex- 


EXTREMES  OF  TEMPERATURE. 


41 


plorer  in  charge  rigorously  punished  the  natural  pre- 
disposition of  the  African  to  steal  from  the  tribe 
through  whose  country  he  is  passing.  Of  course  it  is 
called  foraging,  but  it  means  in  many  instances  that 
hundreds  of  men  are  set  free  to  take  what  they  want 
by  force  from  the  villagers,  who  in  turn  appeal  to  the 
white  men  for  redress.  These,  not  knowing  the  extent 
of  the  pillage,  hand  over  a  bit  of  cloth,  a  few  beads 
or  handkerchiefs — compensation  altogether  inadequate : 
result,  a  passage  at  arms  and  probably  losses  on  both 
sides. 

June  2d.  I  find  it  difficult  to  start  the  carriers  in 
the  morning  before  the  sun  is  up,  the  cold  is  so  severe. 
They  huddle  together  round  the  fires,  and  when  at  last 
they  are  roused  to  make  a  move,  with  one  hand  they 
steady  their  load,  and  with  the  other  grab  a  firebrand, 
and  trot  off  blowing  upon  it  to  keep  up  the  glow  and 
so  supply  a  little  warmth  to  their  fingers.  The  ex- 
tremes of  temperature  between  night  and  day  are  now 
very  trying  to  those  of  us  who  have  warm  clothes. 
What  must  it  be  to  their  naked  bodies !  At  6  a.m. 
to-day  the  thermometer  in  my  tent  registered  38°  F., 
and  yesterday,  at  noon,  in  the  shade,  over  90°  F. 

Water  still  very  scarce — not  a  drop  to  be  had  except 
by  digging;  and  so  impure,  that  boiling,  precipitating 
with  alum,  and  filtering  were  not  enough  to  prevent  it 
bringing  on  a  sharp  attack  of  dysentery  when  about  a 
mile  from  camp.  All  the  afternoon  and  night  of  the 
4th  I  was  completely  prostrated — the  most  acute  twelve 
hours  of  suffering  I  ever  endured. 

June  5th.  Feeling  very  weak,  but  thankful  to  be 
sufficiently  recovered  to  take  the  road,  four  men  car- 


42 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


rying  me  a  good  part  of  the  way  in  a  hammock.  Our 
path  led  through  thick  bush;  there  were  no  villages 
in  sight,  and  we  were  impressed  with  the  apparent 
sparsely  populated  condition  of  the  country. 

We  were  quite  out  of  fresh  meat,  and  after  a  frugal 
meal  of  desiccated  soup  and  manioc  I  took  my  gun 
and  went  out — unwisely,  alone — in  search  of  something 
for  the  pot.  I  shot  a  few  pigeons,  and,  seeing  a  good 
many  at  some  distance,  but  very  wild,  kept  following 
hither  and  thither,  until  I  got  turned  round  and  lost 
my  bearings,  forgetting  the  direction  of  the  camp.  The 
sun  having  set,  it  got  dark  very  quickly,  and  in  a  short 
time  I  had  to  face  the  awkward  position  of  finding 
myself  lost  in  the  forest.  I  wandered  up  and  down 
for  hours,  endeavoring  to  strike  some  track  that  might 
lead  me  out ;  but  in  vain.  It  was  now  pitch  dark.  I 
sat  down,  tired  of  hopelessly  struggling  among  the 
bushes;  but,  having  on  neither  coat  nor  vest,  and 
without  matches  to  light  a  fire,  I  felt  chilly,  and  de- 
termined to  make  one  more  effort  to  obtain  sight  or 
sound  of  camp.  I  climbed  several  trees,  hoping  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  the  camp-fires;  but  no,  there  was 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  the  black  outline  of  the  trees 
against  the  sky.  The  welcome  stars  began  to  appear, 
and  soon  the  southern  cross  was  in  view ;  and,  having 
an  idea  that  I  ought  to  turn  north,  I  set  out  once  more, 
but  had  not  gone  far  when  I  entered  a  deep  ravine  and 
encountered  a  swamp  with  long  reedy  grass  towering 
high  above  my  head.  I  pushed  on,  holding  my  gun 
horizontally,  to  keep  the  spear-grass  from  cutting  my 
face.  Suddenly  my  feet  went  from  under  me,  and  I 
was  precipitated  into  a  deep  game-pit.    The  branches 


LOST  IN  THE  FOREST. 


43 


of  trees  with  which  its  mouth  had  been  covered  broke 
the  fall  considerably ;  but  an  angry  snarl  from  below 
announced  that  I  was  not  alone  in  the  trap.  I  felt  for 
my  sheath-knife  in  prospect  of  an  encounter,  but  a 
coarse  fur  brushing  past  my  face  intimated  that  the 
animal,  whatever  it  was,  had  no  such  pugnacious  in- 
tent, but,  being  equally  scared,  took  advantage  of  my 
shoulder  to  effect  its  escape.  The  hole  was  narrow 
and  I  managed  to  scramble  out  by  butting  my  feet 
against  the  opposite  side.  The  struggle  in  the  pit, 
however,  took  away  the  last  vestige  of  strength  I  pos- 
sessed, and  to  go  farther  was  impossible. 

I  discharged  the  remaining  cartridges  in  the  forlorn 
hope  that  the  shots  might  be  heard  by  some  of  my 
people.  Breathless  with  anxiety  and  fatigue,  I  listened, 
when,  to  my  unspeakable  relief,  after  a  few  minutes  I 
heard,  though  at  a  great  distance,  the  answer  of  a  na- 
tive gun;  and  soon  the  shouts  of  my  men,  getting 
more  and  more  distinct,  told  me  that  I  would  sleep  in 
my  tent  that  night  and  not  in  the  woods,  as  a  short 
time  before  seemed  inevitable. 

Next  day  brought  us  through  a  more  thickly  popu- 
lated and  better  cultivated  district  than  we  have  seen 
since  starting.  I  was  much  interested  in  several  pecul- 
iar-looking mountains,  seemingly  solid  blocks  of  gran- 
ite without  a  vestige  of  grass  or  herbage,  and  no  crags, 
fissures,  or  jagged  rocks.  One  in  particular  was  round 
and  smooth,  like  a  gigantic  inverted  basin.  We  camped 
at  the  base  of  the  Olombingo  range,  so  called  because 
of  its  rocky  peaks,  resembling,  when  viewed  at  a  cer- 
tain angle,  the  I  ^rns  of  an  animal. 

For  several  days  now  our  path  leads  over  a  series 


44 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


of  mountains,  including  tlie  Elonga  (or  plate,  from  the 
lioUowed-out  shape  of  its  summit),  on  the  top  of  which 
both  boiling-point  thermometer  and  aneroid  indicated 
an  altitude  of  seventy-two  hundred  feet.  From  this 
point  the  view  of  hills  and  valleys  is  really  very  fine — 
the  atmosphere  so  clear,  and  no  forests  intervening. 
The  immense  landscape  of  rolling  country  is  limited 
only  by  the  extent  of  our  vision. 

I  noticed  by  the  pathway  a  great  many  blocks  of 
wood,  from  a  foot  to  eighteen  inches  long  and  about 
five  inches  wide,  with  an  oblong  hole  cut  in  each. 
These,  I  was  informed  by  th^  natives,  were  the  arti- 
cles used  by  slave-traders  with  which  to  fetter  their 
captive  carriers  during  the  night.  The  feet  are  passed 
through  the  hole  and  a  wooden  peg  driven  between  the 
ankles. 

We  passed  by  the  wayside  the  grave  of  a  pombiero, 
or  headman  of  one  of  these  caravans,  where  the  natives 
had  with  grim  satire  erected  a  monument  to  his  mem- 
ory, by  stringing  some  twenty  of  these  shackles  on  a 
pole  and  sticking  it  up  at  the  head  of  the  mound  where 
the  tyi'ant  was  buried,  that  the  passer-by  might  read 
the  suggestive  epitaph.  Numerous  bleaching  skulls 
a  little  way  from  the  track  tell  how  the  slaves  whom 
death  has  set  free  are  disposed  of.  But  the  headman 
of  an  ordinary  caravan  is  generally  buried  in  a  very 
respectful  manner,  his  hat,  umbrella,  cooking-pot,  and 
powder-barrel  being  invariably  placed  on  the  grave. 
Over  all  a  rude  hut  is  built,  open  at  the  sides,  while 
near  by  a  rough  seat  is  erected,  lest  the  spirit  of  the 
departed  should  get  tired  wandering  up  and  down — as 
they  suppose  it  does — and,  returning  to  the  spot,  it 


IN  DANGERS  OFT. 


45 


might  be  gratified  by  this  mark  of  consideration  for 
its  comfort  on  the  part  of  the  relatives  or  friends,  and 
so  refrain  from  hannting  or  tronbling  them. 

On  the  8th,  soon  after  starting,  we  were  accosted  by 
foui'  blacks,  whom  we  recognized  as  Portuguese  sol- 
diers. They  were  armed  with  Snider  rifles,  bayonets, 
and  cartridge-belts,  and  announced  to  us  that  an  officer 
and  his  wife  were  on  their  way  to  Bihe;  but  most  of 
their  carriers  having  deserted,  leaving  their  loads  in 
the  bush,  these  worthies  had  orders  to  get  men  where 
and  how  they  could,  to  fill  the  vacant  situations. 
While  making  these  explanations  they  kept  casting- 
furtive  and  admiring  glances  on  some  of  my  carca- 
dores  (porters),  ultimately  expressing  their  opinion 
that  some  of  them  would  serve  their  purpose.  But, 
pointing  to  my  Winchester  and  Webley,  I  emphatic- 
ally assured  them  that  to  touch  a  single  individual  in 
my  caravan  would  bring  about  the  funeral  of  more 
than  one  Portuguese  soldier  before  the  sun  set.  At 
this  the  cowardly  quartet  sneaked  off,  allowing  our 
carriers  to  pass  without  further  molestation ;  but  later 
in  the  day  we  learned  that  no  sooner  were  we  out  of 
sight  than  they  intercepted  a  party  of  natives,  seized 
and  bound  twelve  men,  marching  them  off  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet.  The  whole  district  seems  terror-stricken 
because  of  these  marauders.  We  passed  several  vil- 
lages where  we  had  hoped  to  obtain  food,  but  the  in- 
habitants had  fled. 

Two  days  more  bring  us  to  the  Bailundu  country. 
The  ground  being  white  with  hoar-frost  in  the  -early 
morning,  it  is  very  difficult  for  the  first  hour  or  two 
to  urge  the  men  along ;  they  want  to  stop  every  few 


46 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


minutes  to  make  a  fire,  while  some  sit  down  to  cry- 
over  and  hug  their  cold  feet. 

On  the  10th  we  reached  the  Keve  Elver.  Some  of 
us  were  ferried  across  in  a  native  bark  canoe,  others 
waded  over.  It  is  said  by  some  travelers  that  this 
stream  is  likely  in  the  future  to  prove  a  great  water- 
way into  the  interior  from  Novo  Rodondo.  The  wis- 
dom or  otherwise  of  the  suggestion  may  be  judged 
from  the  fact  that  the  body  of  water  is  comparatively 
small,  navigable  for  most  of  the  year  only  by  canoes, 
and  its  elevation  five  thousand  feet  above  the  sea — a 
pretty  steep  climb  for  steamers  in  that  short  distance. 
But  what  would  they  come  here  for,  anyhow  ? 

Another  few  miles  and  we  reach  Utalama,  the  village 
where  poor  Morris  and  Grail  died  and  lie  buried  a  stone's- 
throw  from  the  path,  the  graves  inclosed  by  a  palisade 
of  sticks.  Thoughts  of  deepest  gratitude  to  Grod  rose 
in  my  heart  for  the  good  health  of  our  party  thus 
far;  but  as  I  gazed  on  those  lonely  mounds  I  found 
myself  in  a  melancholy  reverie,  having  learned,  since 
coming  to  Africa,  the  painful  circumstances  connected 
with  their  death — circumstances  reflecting  anything 
but  credit  on  those  who  had  charge  of  the  party,  and 
proving  the  indiscretion  of  permitting  a  man  like  Mr. 
Morris,  just  out  of  a  London  counting-house,  to  tramp 
all  day  in  the  glaring  heat  of  Africa,  li\dng  on  the 
coarsest  fare  and  sleeping  sometimes  in  the  open  at 
night,  as  we  gather  from  his  own  diary : 

"  It  was  late  before  we  reached  camp.  Only  one  tent 
was  pitched,  into  which  the  three  sisters  retired,  and 
we  brethren  just  lay  round  about,  wrapped  up  in  our 
rugs  on  the  bare  ground,  some  of  us — I  among  them 


AN  UNTIMELY  END. 


47 


— putting  up  onr  umbrellas  over  our  heads  to  keep  off 
the  night  dew^  which  falls  very  heavily." 

The  privations  suffered  were  from  no  lack  of  means, 
but  from  sheer  mismanagement  on  the  part  of  those 
who  were  responsible  for  the  conveyance  of  this  new 
party  to  the  interior.  For  Mr.  Morris  was  a  gentleman 
of  high  standing  and  repute,  an  eminently  successful 
Christian  worker  at  Walthamstow,  and  connected  with 
*  a  lucrative  mercantile  business.  Selling  out  his  share, 
he  with  Mrs.  Morris  started  for  Africa  at  their  own  ex- 
pense. But  they  never  reached  their  destination.  Mr. 
Morris  was  stricken  by  the  fever,  and  Mr.  Grail  about 
the  same  time,  their  deaths  occurring  within  four  hours 
of  each  other. 

For  some  days  previous  to  his  death  Mr.  Morris  lay 
in  a  semi-conscious  condition.  Night  and  day  his  heroic 
wife  was  by  his  side ;  but  who  shall  tell  of  the  anguish 
of  mind  she  must  have  endured  as  she  watched  her 
husband  shortly  before  he  died  ?  "  Wringing  his  face 
at  the  memory  of  his  poor  children  left  behind,  '  I  can- 
not, no,  I  cannot  leave  them ! '  he  burst  forth.  ^  My 
precious  girls — my  boy,  my  boy !  ^ "  * 

Some  may  seek  to  moralize,  and  quote  Scripture  for 
their  comfort,  on  the  premature  end  of  two  valuable 
lives;  but  the  harrowing  details  as  related  by  eye- 
witnesses of  the  tragic  scene  haunt  us  like  a  horrible 
dream,  and  satisfy  us  that  this  mournful  event  might 
have  been  averted  had  the  leader  been  possessed  of  as 
much  common  sense  as  sentiment. 

June  11th.  A  number  of  our  carriers  belong  to  this 
district,  and  refuse  to  lift  their  loads  this  morning, 

*  From  Echoes  of  Service. 


48 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


wishing,  as  they  say,  to  spend  the  day  with  their 
friends.  I  was  successful,  however,  by  dint  of  coaxing 
and  threats,  in  inducing  half  a  dozen  men  to  start  with 
me  for  Cilumi,  a  station  of  the  American  mission  some 
eighteen  miles  distant,  and  to  the  left  of  our  route. 

Leaving  the  Jamaica  men  in  charge  of  the  camp, 
with  instructions  to  advance  next  morning,  we  set  out 
and  arrived  at  the  mission  compound  by  noon.  The 
missionaries,  the  Eevs.  Stover,  Woodside,  and  Cotton, 
extended  to  me  a  hearty  welcome.  Xo thing  could  have 
exceeded  the  kindness  of  these  good  friends,  and  I  was 
easily  persuaded  to  prolong  my  stay  for  a  couple  of 
days. 

This  mission — an  oasis  in  the  desert — was  founded 
about  twelve  years  ago,  and  there  are  now  twenty-four 
converts  in  church-membership;  but  the  influence  of 
these  men,  their  wives,  and  Miss  Clark,  a  young  Cana- 
dian lady  who  assists  in  school-teaching,  cannot  be  cal- 
culated by  figures. 

The  marked  improvement  in  the  social  condition  of 
the  natives  in  the  neighborhood,  as  compared  with 
those  we  have  met  hitherto,  testify  that,  if  slowly,  yet 
surely,  the  power  for  good  of  a  mission  such  as  this, 
conducted  on  practical  common  sense  as  well  as  Chris- 
tian principles,  must  in  due  course  become  manifest 
both  in  the  lives  and  homes  of  the  people  among  whom 
it  is  established. 

It  may  be  said  that  the  results  seem  small  consider- 
ing the  large  staff  of  laborers,  and  the  many  years  that 
have  passed  since  the  work  was  organized.  Yes,  if  it 
were  true,  as  is  asserted  again  and  again,  that  the  Afri- 
can earnestly  reiterates  the  Macedonian  cry,  "Come 


EKIVIKIVI  INTERyiElVED. 


49 


over  and  help  us ;  "  and  that  akeady  "  Ethiopia  stretches 
out  her  hands  unto  God."  If  he  calls  for  missionaries 
at  all,  it  is  because  he  expects  them  to  bring  him  cloth, 
beads,  guns,  and  gunpowder ;  but  he  is  not  particularly 
anxious  for  the  gospel,  for  he  is  ignorant  of  its  im- 
port and  meaning,  and  in  his  heathen  condition  walits 
nothing  that  does  not  add  to  his  sensual  gratification. 
Anything  else  he  must  be  taught;  and  this  means 
slow,  uphill,  and  often  discouraging  work.  Only  in  the 
field  is  it  possible  to  know  a  tithe  of  the  hindrances 
and  barriers  to  the  progress  of  missions  in  Central 
Africa,  requiring,  as  they  do,  unlimited  patience,  strong 
faith,  and  steady  plodding  toil  on  the  part  of  those 
who  would  succeed. 

I  accompanied  Mr.  Woodside  on  a  visit  to  Ekwikwi, 
king  of  Bailundu,  at  his  "ombala"  or  capital.  The 
royal  village  is  situated  on  the  top  of  a  hill,  command- 
ing a  good  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  A  hole 
in  the  palisades  about  twenty  inches  wide  and  five  feet 
high  forms  the  grand  entrance  to  the  courtyard,  which 
at  night  is  used  as  a  cattle-pen.  Here  we  found  his 
majesty,  seated  on  a  stone  placed  against  the  fence. 
At  a  distance  of  some  thirty  feet,  and  in  a  semicircle, 
squatted  a  large  number  of  minor  chiefs,  counselors, 
and  headmen.  In  the  center  sat  a  man  who  was  being 
tried  for  his  life  under  an  indictment  for  witchcraft; 
and  by  his  side  an  aged  chief,  who  had  espoused  the 
culprit's  cause,  was,  at  the  time  we  entered,  eloquently 
pleading  the  innocence  of  his  client.  The  speaker 
stopped  short  as  we  appeared,  and  waited  until  the 
ceremony  of  being  "presented  at  court"  had  ended. 
The  king  greeted  us  cheerfully,  graciously  accepting  a 


50 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


present  of  cloth,  a  bit  of  soap,  and  a  box  of  matches ; 
and  we  took  seats,  by  his  request  and  favor,  on  stones 
close  to  "the  bench."  The  advocate  then  proceeded 
with  the  case,  while  Ekwikwi  kept  up  a  running  fire 
of  interrogations  at  Mr.  Woodside,  concerning  the 
stranger.  "  Who  is  he  \ "  "  Where  from ! "  "  Whither 
bound ! "  etc.,  etc. 

The  king  has  a  shrewd  and  not  unintelligent  face. 
He  is  probably  about  sixty  years  of  age,  and  rejoices 
in  a  harem  of  over  fifty  wives,  most  of  them  being 
captives  from  distant  tribes,  brought  home  as  booty 
during  his  periodical  raids  on  districts  which  he  thinks 
ought  to  pay  him  tribute  and  don't !  Only  a  short  time 
ago,  he  returned  from  one  of  these  campaigns  bringing 
back  some  sixty  slaves  and  large  herds  of  cattle. 

While  sitting  in  the  court  we  observed  the  young 
men  busy  making  cartridges,  forming  a  case  by  deftly 
rolling  paper  round  a  stick,  filling  it  with  gunpowder, 
and  inserting  iron  slugs  at  the  end — suggestive  of 
coming  trouble  to  some  unsuspecting  community. 

There  was  nothing  very  royal  in  the  king's  attire, 
however,  his  only  habiliments  consisting  of  a  ragged 
loin-cloth  and  a  dirty  red  night-cap  on  his  head ;  but  he 
possesses  a  real  court  dress  of  which  he  is  very  proud, 
and  dons  it  only  on  state  occasions.  It  was  made  for 
him  by  one  of  the  ladies  at  Cilumi,  of  gay  furniture 
chintz,  fijxed  up  with  flounces  and  a  train. 

Several  boys  and  girls  from  the  ombala  attend  the 
mission  school,  and  on  inquiring  if  the  fathers  of  the 
children  sought  in  any  way  to  hinder  them  from  being 
educated,  I  was  surprised  to  learn  that  they  have,  as  a 


SOCIAL  LAIVS. 


^51 


rule,  little  or  no  voice  in  the  matter.  We  are  accus- 
tomed in  England  and  America  to  picture  the  native 
African  as  sitting  under  his  own  ^'  vine  and  fig  tree " 
with  his  happy  family  circle  around  him;  and  the 
brilliant  perorations  on  antislavery  platforms  referring 
to  the  "  ruthless  rending  asunder,"  and  so  on,  are  famil- 
iar to  us  all.  So  far  as  I  can  learn,  neither  our  precon- 
ceived ideas  nor  the  allusion  apply,  to  this  part  of 
Africa  at  least. 

The  terrible  record  of  "  man's  inhumanity  to  man " 
in  the  slave-trade  is  much  deeper  and  more  far-reach- 
ing in  its  cruelties  than  the  "  severing  of  family  ties  " — 
ties,  in  most  cases,  less  than  nominal.  For  that  matter, 
they  think  nothing  of  selling  one  another  when  it  suits 
them ;  and  when,  by  the  vigilance  of  British  gunboats, 
the  slave  traffic  on  the  East  and  West  Coasts,  as  carried 
on  by  Arabs  and  half-breed  Portuguese,  is  put  down, 
by  far  the  worst  form  of  slavery  will  still  remain  un- 
touched, as  it  exists  to-day  among  the  tribes  of  the 
distant  interior. 

In  reference  to  the  social  laws  that  obtain  in  Bilie,  it 
may  be  said  that  a  father  is  scarcely  acknowledged  as 
a  relative  of  his  own  child,  and  can  exercise  no  control 
over  it.  Nor  can  the  child,  on  the  other  hand,  make 
any  claim  on  its  father,  except  it  be  the  child  of  a  slave 
wife ;  then  it  is  the  property  of  the  father,  just  as  the 
mother  is'. 

When  a  man  wishes  to  marry  a  free  woman,  he  ap- 
plies to  her  eldest  brother,  and,  if  accepted,  seals  the 
engagement  by  paying  four  yards  of  calico.  On  the 
day  of  the  marriage  some  sixteen  yards  more  have  to 


52 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


be  laid  down.  At  the  close  of  the  wedding-feast  he 
takes  home  the  bride  to  his  own  village,  and  he  can 
retain  his  wife  only  by  paying  tribute  to  the  brother, 
of  a  fowl  or  handkerchief  every  new  moon ;  failing  this, 
she  must  be  returned,  and  the  cloth  paid  is  forfeited. 
The  offspring  of  this  union  belong  not  to  the  father 
but  to  the  uncle,  who  alone  has  the  right  to  dispose  of 
them  or  their  services.  Should  he  get  into  debt,  he 
can  pass  them  over  to  his  creditors  as  surety,  or  they 
may  be  sold  to  liquidate  his  liabilities.  If  it  happens 
that  the  wife  fails  to  work  in  the  field  or  cook  the 
"  mush  "  to  her  sire's  satisfaction,  he  may  dismiss  her ; 
and  if  he  can  make  good  his  complaint  before  a  court 
of  the  headmen  of  the  village,  he  gets  back  the  cloth  he 
paid  for  her  and  looks  around  for  a  better  mate. 

At  6  A.M.  on  the  13th  we  reluctantly  bid  farewell  to 
Cilumi,  and  strike  out  briskly,  knowing  that  my  cara- 
van is  by  this  time  a  long  way  ahead,  and  it  must  be 
overtaken,  if  possible,  by  noon,  so  as  to  select  the 
camping-ground  for  to-night. 

Here,  as  all  through  the  forests  of  Angola,  are  to  be 
found  many  artificial  beehives,  made  from  the  stout 
bark  of  a  tree  four  or  five  feet  long  and  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  inches  in  diameter.  To  remove  this  bark, 
the  natives  make  two  incisions  around  the  trunk  and  a 
third  longitudinally,  when  the  elasticity  of  the  bark  per- 
mits of  its  being  peeled  off  and  assuming  its  original 
form.  The  edges  are  then  drawn  together  by  means 
of  pegs  and  withes,  and  the  ends  closed  in  by  weaving 
grass  over  them,  leaving  a  small  hole  for  the  entrance 
and  exit  of  the  bees.  These  hives  are  then  placed  in  a 
horizontal  position  high  up  among  the  branches  of  the 


ARRIVAL  AT  KJVANJULULU. 


53 


trees ;  and  from  them  is  obtained  most  of  the  wax  ex- 
ported from  Benguela  and  Loanda. 

A  sharp  five  hours'  march  brings  us  to  a  stream, 
where  we  find  the  loads  are  all  laid  down,  while  the 
carriers  fill  their  water-gourds  and  rest  a  bit.  At  our 
approach  Frater  reports  all  correct,  and  each  man, 
shouldering  his  load,  falls  in  Indian  file,  as  usual,  along 
the  track;  which  in  this  part  of  the  country  must  be 
very  old,  for  it  is  worn  in  some  places  fourteen  inches 
deep  and  about  nine  wide,  causing  many  a  hard  knock 
on  my  internal  malleoli  from  the  heel  of  the  opposite 
shoe,  as  hour  by  hour  we  thread  the  narrow  ditch; 
and,  like  horses,  we  strike  worst  when  tired. 

Four  more  marches.  To-day  a  counterpart  of  yes- 
terday— nothing  of  importance  occurring,  except  that 
on  the  fourth  day  we  traveled  twenty-five  miles,  and 
reached  Kwanjululu  at  about  3  p.m.  Here  we  must 
pay  off  the  men  who  have  brought  us  thus  far — three 
hundred  and  twelve  miles  from  Benguela — and  remain 
for  some  time  to  collect  a  new  set  of  carriers  for  our 
next  stage  inland. 

These  delays  in  changing  carriers  are  very  vexing, 
and  a  severe  tax  on  patience;  but  the  traveler  is 
entirely  at  their  mercy,  and  must  simply  wait  their 
pleasure.  A  sufficient  number  being  engaged  does  not 
by  any  means  imply  a  start  forthwith.  No ;  they  have 
to  go  to  their  villages,  taking  the  loads  witii  them,  and 
for  a  couple  of  weeks  they  will  think  and  talk  about 
the  road ;  another  ten  days  for  the  women  to  pound  ' 
their  meal;  yet  another  week  for  a  big  farewell  beer- 
drink;  then  we  move  off  ten  or  twelve  miles  along  the 
intended  route  and  form  camp  as  a  preliminary  notice 


54 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


that  we  can  wait  no  longer.  During  the  next  week  or 
two  tliey  will  come  in  twos  and  threes  until  the  most 
have  turned  up ;  then  another  move  is  made. 

But  perhaps  in  the  meantime  rumors  of  inter-tribal 
wars  from  countries  through  which  we  have  to  pass 
frighten  the  whole  crowd,  and  they  lay  down  the  loads 
and  desert  to  a  man. 


CHAPTEE  III. 


KWANJULULU  AND  KOMONDONGO. 


An  English  mission, — The  illusion  dispelled. — Garanganze. — Five  years' 
work. — Their  own  superstition  best. — Echoes  of  Service. — Vegetable  prod- 
ucts.— Visit  to  Komondongo. — The  late  war. — Cause  of  the  rupture. 
— The  peacemaker. — Burning  villages. — Capture  of  Chindunduma. — The 
mission  station. — Adversities. — Chronic  bummers. — Mush  and  beans. — 
Courting  privations. 


WANJULULU  is  the  headquarters  of  the  Eng- 


XV  lish  Brethren  Mission,  and  is  situated  in  the  ter- 
ritory of  Bihe,  within  a  day's  march  of  the  American 
mission  stations,  Komondongo  and  Cisamba. 

This  entering  a  district  akeady  occupied  by  the 
American  Mission  has  been  unfortunate,  and  the  cause 
of  no  little  friction.  Surely  there  is  room  enough  in 
Africa  for  different  societies  to  organize  mission  centers 
without  treading  on  one  another's  toes !  Grod  forbid 
that  Africa  should  ever  know  the  jangling  and  rivalry 
of  the  sects  so  prevalent  in  more  enlightened  lands. 

The  Kwanjululu  Mission  is  superintended  by  a  Mr. 
F.  S.  Arnot.  My  preconceived  ideas  in  favor  of  this 
mission  have  received  such  a  shock,  as  week  by  week 
its  actual  condition  has  been  laid  bare,  that  I  would 
prefer  to  draw  a  veil  of  silence  over  all  I  have  seen  and 
heard  here ;  but  I  am  impelled,  from  no  other  motive 
than  my  interest  in  missions  generally,  to  plead  for  a 


55 


56 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


reformation  in  such  quarters,  lest  the  day  come  when 
the  enthusiasm  aroused  at  home  by  the  flaming  and 
high-colored  reports  of  grand  conquests  of  the  gospel 
will  suffer  reaction.  The  supporters  of  this  enterprise 
have  been  led  to  contribute  large  sums  of  money  toward 
what  may  be  truthfully  designated  a  huge  farce,  and, 
when  the  manner  in  which  they  have  been  hoodwinked 
is  brought  to  light,  disastrous  reflections  will  be  cast 
upon  the  noblest  enterprise  of  the  Church  of  God  at 
the  present  day — foreign  missions. 

Whatever  Kwanjululu  may  be  as  a  transport  depot, 
its  influence  as  a  Christian  mission  is  almost  nil.  But 
few  natives  attend  the  meetings,  and  next  to  no  evan- 
gelistic work  is  being  done.  Not  a  single  gospel  meet- 
ing was  held  for  three  successive  Sundays  in  last 
month,  nor  came  there  a  solitary  hearer  from  outside 
the  compound.  On  Sundays,  at  the  usual  time  for 
morning  service  the  missionaries  meet  for  mutual  edi- 
fication and  "breaking  of  bread";  but  as  this  is  the 
most  suitable  hour  of  the  day  for  getting  the  natives 
together,  the  opportunity  is  lost.    While  at  the  other 

station,  Garanganze,  Mr.  F  ,  one  of  the  mission  staff, 

who  has  just  come  out  from  that  district,  tells  me  that 
but  little  spiritual  work  has  been  accomplished  there, 
the  time  being  occupied  chiefly  in  making  gardens, 
hunting  for  food,  waiting  on  King  Msidi,  and  person- 
ally conducting  the  transit  of  supplies  from  Kwanju- 
lulu.   Thus  Mr.  T  ,  one  of  their  best  men,  has  spent 

twenty-one  months  on  the  road,  out  of  the  two  years 
he  has  been  in  the  mission. 

Mr.  S  ,  in  charge  of  the  Garanganze  branch, 

writes : 


FIVE  YEARS'  IVORK. 


57 


"  It  is  now  nearly  three  years  since  we  came  here,  and 
how  very  little  seems  to  have  been  done !  If  we  add 
the  two  years  that  Brother  Arnot  was  here,  it  makes 
five  years.  What  a  length  of  time  to  have  been  living 
in  the  country  and  yet  many  of  the  natives  scarcely 
know  our  object  in  living  among  them!  It  is  true, 
and  we  thank  God  for  it,  that  those  who  are  in  the 
habit  of  coming  to  our  meetings  are  beginning  to 
understand  more  clearly  what  we  are  here  for;  but 
the  great  majority  seem  to  think  we  have  some  per- 
sonal interest  in  living  among  them. 

"  A  few  days  ago  a  man  who  had  heard  something 
about  the  white  man's  country  said,  ^You  must  have 
committed  crimes  at  home,  or  you  would  not  live  here.' 
Some  might  think  that  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  tell 
them  you  have  come  ^to  teach  people  the  Word  of 
God'  and  they  would  understand  at  once.  But  is  it 
so?  Far  from  it.  You  must  first  tell  them  who  God 
is,  where  His  Word  comes  from,  how  it  is  that  tve  are 
so  interested  in  them  that  we  come  to  live  with  them. 
When  you  remember  that  before  any  of  these  things 
can  be  told  them  it  is  necessary  to  learn  a  language 
altogether  different  from  your  own,  without  the  aid 
of  vocabulary  or  grammar,  you  begin  to  understand  to 
some  extent  how  so  much  time  passes  away  without 
any  or  with  very  few  results  to  show.  Even  after  you 
fairly  master  the  language  and  tell  them  distinctly  that 
you  are  here  to  teach  them  about  God  and  His  pre- 
cious Word,  you  are  sometimes  greeted  with  ^  buvella ' 
or  '  buramba,'  the  Yeke  and  Luba  words  meaning  ^  non- 
sense, untruthfulness,'  etc. 

"  Again,  you  sit  down  with  a  man  and  try  to  teach 


58 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


him  something  about  right  and  wrong,  and  after  yon 
have  finished  he  goes  away  without  feehng  his  respon- 
sibility to  do  what  you  tell  him  is  right  and  leave  off 
doing  that  which  you  have  sought  to  show  him  is 
wrong.  Perhaps  the  conclusion  he  comes  to  is  that 
their  superstitions  are  far  better  than  ours.  He  looks 
around,  and  he  sees  Va-yeke,  Va-lamba,  Va-luba,  Va- 
lunda,  Ya-sanga,  and  a  host  of  others,  with  their  pecul- 
iar beliefs  of  right  and  wrong,  and  when  he  hears  us 
he  looks  upon  us  as  one  more  among  the  rest,  and 
cannot  at  all  see  that  he  is  responsible  to  take  heed 
to  what  ive  say.  Of  course  we  tell  him  that  the  Word 
of  Grod  is  for  all  people,  but  to  tell  him  is  not  to  con- 
vince him." 

Would  that  all  the  reports  from  the  Brethren  Mis- 
sion were  as  honest  as  this!  Then  there  would  be 
nothing  to  gainsay,  for  results  are  not  in  the  power 
of  man  to  control ;  but  he  may,  if  he  will,  control  his 
pen  and  refrain  from  idle  embellishments,  exaggerated 
and  fictitious  stories  of  success,  that  are  without  foun- 
dation. 

From  the  head  of  the  Kwanjululu  depot  we  received 
several  letters  extolling  the  agricultural  capabilities  of 
the  district ;  also  in  the  EcJioes  of  Service  we  read  that 
every  kind  of  vegetable  product  is  grown  in  abundance, 
including  wheat,  yams,  potatoes,  cabbages,  strawberries, 
etc.  The  fact  is  that  the  crop  of  wheat  referred  to  was 
raised  on  a  spot  of  land  previously  used  as  a  cattle-pen, 
and  made  up  by  large  quantities  of  earth  carried  from 
a  neighboring  marsh.  Scarcely  a  fair  criterion  by  which 
to  judge  the  productiveness  of  the  soil !  At  this  season 
of  the  year  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a  handful  of  vege- 


A  PORTUGUESE  FORT. 


59 


tation  in  any  of  the  mission  gardens ;  only  during  the 
brief  period  of  the  wet  season  can  any  vegetables  be 
grown,  and  then  only  by  the  free  use  of  fertilizers. 
But  the  extravagant  accounts  of  the  land  as  a  source 
of  food-supply  for  white  men  were  as  disappointing  as 
the  Christian  work  we  expected  to  find,  and  as  mis- 
leading as  many  other  statements  we  had  to  deplore. 

On  the  22d  of  June  we  set  out  to  visit  the  American 
mission  at  Komondongo.  About  half-way  stands  the 
Portuguese  fort,  Silva  Porto.  I  called  on  the  "capi- 
tan  "  in  command  to  present  my  compliments  and  show 
my  passport,  and  found  him  very  polite  and  agreeable. 
He  conducted  me  round  the  premises,  where  everything 
was  neat,  trim,  and  ship-shape.  The  fort  is  garrisoned 
by  a  force  of  some  two  hundred  slave  soldiers  armed 
with  Snider  rifles.  In  the  armory  stand  four  field- 
pieces,  including  a  "  Krupp  "  and  a  "  Nordenfeldt." 

Soon  after  leaving  the  fort  we  struck  the  wagon  road 
made  by  the  Boers  during  their  visit  to  suppress  the 
late  native  rebellion.  And  now  we  travel  mile  after 
mile  through  a  country  desolate  enough  at  best;  but 
since  every  village  and  human  habitation  on  the  road 
to  within  a  short  distance  of  Komondongo  has  been 
burned  to  the  ground,  leaving  nothing  but  charred 
palisades  and  the  ruined  huts,  the  prospect  is  anything 
but  inviting. 

The  cause  of  the  rupture  was,  briefly,  as  follows: 
Portugal  has  long  claimed  sovereignty  over  Bihe,  and 
until  lately  was  content  that  her  authority  remained 
nominal.  Early  last  year  a  few  of  her  soldiers,  under 
Captain  Conceiro,  were  ordered  inland,  but  were  re- 
fused permission  by  the  king  of  Bihe  to  pass  through 


60 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


his  country.  The  king  protested  that  an  agreement 
had  been  made  between  him  and  the  Portuguese  gov- 
ernment that  black  soldiers  should  never  be  quartered 
in  Bihe — that  only  white  people  were  welcome  to  his 
country.  The  natives,  who  had  never  felt  the  force  of 
European  arms,  refused  to  be  included  among  the  vas- 
sals of  the  Portuguese,  and  assembled  in  large  numbers 
to  resist  what  they  deemed  an  invasion  of  their  terri- 
tory, promptly  moving  against  the  captain,  who,  hav- 
ing but  a  small  company  of  black  soldiers  with  him, 
wisely  retired,  to  wait  for  reinforcements. 

In  the  meantime,  Senor  Silva  Porto,  the  representa- 
tive of  the  Portuguese,  who  had  lived  at  what  is  now 
the  fort  (and  from  whom  it  obtains  its  name)  for  up- 
ward of  forty  years  on  amicable  terms  with  the  natives, 
did  his  best  to  allay  the  fears  of  the  chief,  but  failed. 
This  pseudo-insurrection  having  been  taken  up  by  the 
imperial  government,  and  his  previous  success  in  con- 
trolling the  Biheans  ignored,  so  distressed  Porto  that 
he  concluded  life  was  for  him  no  longer  worth  living. 
Going  to  his  magazine  and  arranging  a  dozen  kegs  of 
gunpowder,  he  wrapped  himself  in  the  flag  of  his  coun- 
try, lay  down  on  the  explosives,  applied  a  lighted  fuse, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  was  blown  through  the  roof, 
expiring  shortly  after. 

Portugal,  still  determined  to  punish  the  rebels,  sent 
Captain  Piva  with  a  company  of  black  soldiers  and  a 
force  of  Boers  from  Caconda  with  fifty  wagons  to  the 
scene  of  action.  Why  engage  Boers  for  this  purpose! 
it  may  be  asked.  The  Portuguese  know,  and  do  not 
hesitate  to  say,  that  while  their  demoralized  blacks 
under  strict  supervision  answer  very  well  as  police, 


BOERS  AND  BIHEANS. 


61 


without  the  presence  of  a  white  force  to  stiffen  their 
courage  they  cannot  be  depended  upon  in  a  hard  fight. 
A  regiment  of  white  troops  would  only  complicate 
matters,  from  their  lack  of  experience  in  such  warfare, 
entailing  also  the  transport  of  supplies;  but  Boers 
being  a  people  born  and  brought  up,  it  may  almost  be 
said,  in  wagons,  inured  to  hardship,  expert  shots,  and 
well  acquainted  with  the  guerrilla  tactics  of  native 
fights,  it  was  decided  to  employ  them,  stipulating  that 
each  man  take  his  wagon,  carry  stores,  etc.,  for  the 
government,  and  provide  his  own.  The  Boers,  know- 
ing that  the  natives,  with  their  uncertain  flint-locks 
and  cowardice,  could  make  no  stand  against  their  su- 
perior weapons  and  skill,  looked  upon  the  whole  busi- 
ness as  a  pleasant  picnic  with  one  pound  sterling  a  day 
per  man. 

Mr.  Saunders,  of  Komondongo,  apprehensive  of  com- 
ing trouble  and  anxious  to  avert  it,  if  possible,  visited 
the  military  camp  and  requested  an  interview  with  the 
officer  in  command.  This  granted,  he  inquired  if  there 
were  any  messages  he  could  carry  to  the  natives,  but 
received  the  curt  reply,  "  No ;  we  want  the  chief  Chin- 
dunduma." 

The  foolish  Biheans,  meanwhile,  were  preparing  for 
war,  and,  as  a  preliminary  step  to  attacking  the  white 
men,  brought  out  their  fetich-doctor  to  put  "some- 
thing" in  the  river  Kakema,  that  ran  between  them 
and  the  Portuguese  camp,  which  would  have  the  effect 
of  causing  instant  death  to  the  enemy  should  they  have 
the  temerity  to  cross  the  water. 

To  accomplish  this,  the  "  potent  spell "  was  put  in  a 
gun  and  with  much  ceremony  fired  into  the  river.  This 


62 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


the  Boers  took  as  a  signal  for  attack,  and  rushed  up, 
firing  on  them,  dropping  eleven  of  the  naked  warriors 
dead  on  the  bank,  the  remainder  beating  a  hasty  re- 
treat. A  few  days  after,  the  Biheans  attacked  a  small 
party  who  were  engaged  in  clearing  a  road  for  the 
wagons;  but  the  Boers  responded  with  such  deadly 
effect  that  a  panic  seized  the  assailants  and  they  fled 
east  to  the  Ganguellas.  The  burning  of  villages  now 
began,  and  every  human  abode  over  a  great  track  of 
country,  including  the  "  ombala,"  was  sacrificed  to  the 
flames ;  the  latter  is  said  to  have  had  a  population  of 
ten  thousand  inhabitants. 

A  truce  for  nine  days  was  now  declared,  and  within 
this  period  it  was  required  that  the  chief  be  found  and 
given  up ;  failing  this  on  the  expiry  of  the  few  days' 
grace,  the  whole  of  Bihe  would  be  destroyed  by  fire. 

Mr.  Saunders  lost  no  time  in  dispatching  messengers 
to  all  the  minor  chiefs  holding  the  roads  of  exit  from 
the  country,  that  they  might  be  guarded  and  so  pre- 
vent the  escape  of  Chindunduma.  Then,  calling  a 
council  of  the  headmen,  he  placed  the  serious  state  of 
affairs  before  them,  thus  obtaining  their  help.  For 
eight  days  the  country  round  was  scoured  by  the  mis- 
sionary and  hundreds  of  natives,  but  in  vain.  On  the 
ninth  day,  however,  when  hope  was  about  giving  place 
to  despair,  the  man  so  much  wanted  was  discovered 
cringed  up  in  an  isolated  hut  armed  with  a  Martini  rifle. 
Mr.  Saunders  entered  and  explained  his  business, 
whereupon  the  old  man  offered  no  resistance,  but,  sur- 
rendering, was  handed  over  to  the  authorities  that 
same  night,  and  is  now  a  state  prisoner  on  one  of  the 
little  islands  on  the  "West  Coast. 


ADl/ERSITIES. 


63 


Missionaries  sometimes  meddle  unwisely  in  political 
disturbances ;  but  in  this  case  it  was  well,  for  thereby 
much  bloodshed  was  averted  and  an  immense  territory 
saved  from  entire  devastation. 

By  sunset  I  reached  Komondongo,  tired  and  weary ; 
but  the  hearty  greeting  of  the  Rev.  Mr;  Saunders  and 
the  kindly  welcome  of  his  good  wife  dispelled  all 
thought  of  fatigue.  Once  inside  the  mission  house,  I 
could  easily  have  imagined  myself  in  a  genuine  New 
England  farmhouse,  but  for  the  cane-mat  floors  and 
the  black  faces  of  the  servant-boys  peering  round 
corners  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  stranger. 

This  station  was  formed  some  eleven  years  ago,  but 
the  mission  here  and  the  one  at  Bailundu  have  passed 
through  seasons  of  bitter  trial  and  persecution,  princi- 
pally through  the  prejudice  and  jealousy  of  half-breed 
traders,  who  poisoned  the  minds  of  the  king  and  na- 
tives, until  the  terrible  crisis  in  May,  1884,  when  Ek- 
wikwi,  bribed  by  gifts  and  alarmed  by  false  reports, 
ordered  the  expulsion  of  the  missionaries.  The  whole 
party  were  compelled,  with  such  few  effects  as  they 
could  carry,  to  seek  the  coast,  suffering  hardships  and 
exposed  to  dangers  by  the  way,  ill  provided  as  they  were 
for  such  a  journey,  that  can  scarcely  be  described.  But 
through  the  negotiations  of  Mr.  Walters  (a  member  of 
the  mission)  with  the  Portuguese  governor,  general 
letters  of  commendation  in  behalf  of  the  Americans 
were  addressed  to  the  native  chiefs,  resulting  in  the 
two  kings  expressing  their  regret  for  what  had  taken 
place,  and,  promising  to  listen  no  more  to  stories 
against  the  white  teachers,  begged  them  to  return. 

What  I  have  written  concerning  the  Bailundu  sta- 


64 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


tion  applies  with  equal  truth  here  as  regards  the  suc- 
cess of  the  work.  There  is  not  only  sowing,  but  reap- 
ing^ though  long  deferred,  has  at  last  begun  to  cheer 
the  workers.  Twice  on  Sunday  the  large  meeting- 
house was  well  filled  with  attentive  hearers,  both  men 
and  women,  besides  a  well-attended  Sunday-school, 
held  between  the  services. 

Mr.  Saunders  hopes  in  the  near  future  to  commence 
an  industrial  school,  for  he  realizes  the  danger  of  edu- 
cating the  native  lads  without  teaching  them  also  the 
dignity  of  labor ;  but  the  extreme  poverty  of  the  soil 
in  all  these  districts  is  the  great  drawback  of  farming. 
I  observe  that  the  natives  generally  select  for  their 
gardens  patches  shaded  by  trees,  or  moist  low-lying 
spots  near  brooks,  but  avoid  the  higher  levels.  Still, 
it  would  be  a  great  achievement  if  the  yo.ung  men 
and  boys  could  be  induced  to  work  in  the  fields,  for 
at  present  manual  labor — indeed,  every  form  of  hard 
work — falls  to  the  lot  of  the  women  alone,  while  the 
men  try  to  amuse  themselves  and  kill  time  hunting, 
visiting  their  friends,  making  a  mat,  a  basket,  or  doing 
a  little  sewing;  but  as  a  rule  they  are  chronic  bum- 
mers and  inveterate  idlers,  not  even  caring  to  mind 
the  babies.  These  poor  unfortunates,  when  only  a 
few  weeks  old,  are  carried  by  their  mothers  to  the 
field,  strapped  on  their  backs  with  a  bit  of  rough  bark 
cloth;  and  there  they  remain  the  livelong  day,  with 
the  exception  of  intervals  for  refreshment,  exposed  to 
the  fiery  rays  of  the  sun ;  and  whether  they  sleep  or 
laugh  or  cry,  their  little  heads  go  bump,  bump,  bump, 
with  every  stroke  of  the  toiler's  short  double-handled 
hoe. 


MUSH  AND  BEANS. 


65 


A  story  I  heard  at  Cisamba  serves  to  illustrate  the 
position  of  native  African  women.  A  native  caravan 
bound  for  the  coast  reached  a  river,  and,  the  water 
being  pretty  deep,  some  difficulty  was  experienced  in 
crossing,  when  one  of  the  men  called  to  his  wife  and 
commanded  her  to  carry  him  over  on  her  shoulders. 
To  this  she  obediently  complied,  and  accomplished 
her  task  successfully.  The  husband,  on  being  remon- 
strated with  by  a  white  man,  asked,  in  astonishment, 
"Then  whose  wife  should  carry  me  over  if  my  own 
don't?" 

The  old  men  teach  the  young  that  to  plant  a  shrub 
or  a  tree  would  only  insure  their  death  before  it  came 
to  maturity;  thus  it  will  be  seen  that  agriculture  is 
handicapped  from  various  causes,  and  white  men,  if 
they  wish  to  live  here,  must  depend  chiefly  on  im- 
ported food-stuffs  for  many  a  long  day  to  come. 

Europeans  may  exist  on  native  fare  for  a  short  time, 
but  though  some  poor  white  mortals  whom  we  have 
met  lately  boast  that  they  thrive  upon  "mush  and 
beans,"  their  cadaverous  countenances,  scaly  skin,  pim- 
ples, and  sores  that  refuse  to  heal,  testify  to  the  con- 
trary, indicating  that  their  blood  is  impoverished,  their 
constitutions  being  ruined,  and  in  a  shorter  time  than 
they  think  the  penalty  of  their  folly  will  have  to  be 
paid. 

I  have  tried  this  native  "mush,"  but  will  be  hard 
pressed  by  hunger  before  I  get  reconciled  to  it.  It  is 
only  necessary  to  explain  how  mush  is  made  to  con- 
vince an  ordinary  intellect  that  it  must  be  an  mdigesti- 
ble  mess.  An  earthen  pot  is  placed  on  the  fire  three 
quarters  full  of  water,  into  which,  when  hot,  meal  is 


66 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


thrown  in  handfuls,  until  it  becomes  thick,  when  it  is 
at  once  taken  from  the  fire,  vigorously  stirred,  and  the 
scalded  meal  compound  doled  out.  The  native  takes  it 
down  by  the  pound  into  his  cast-iron  stomach,  but  the 
white  man  retires  after  eating  a  few  ounces,  to  be  kept 
awake  half  the  night  by  pyi'osis,  particularly  if  prepared 
from  manioc  meal. 

"  But  it  is  expensive  to  import  English  food,  and  we 
must  remember  we  are  using  the  Lord's  money."  Do 
you  thereby  imply  that  the  Lord  sets  more  value  on 
money  than  on  the  lives  of  his  servants !  It  cannot  be ! 
Is  it  not  written,  "  No  good  thing  will  He  withhold  from 
them  that  walk  uprightly"!  And  surely  that  should 
include  the  missionary,  if  he  deserve  the  name.  Those 
who  leave  the  comforts  of  home  to  spend  their  lives  in 
a  land  like  this,  were  they  even  supplied  with  every 
luxury  that  money  could  buy,  will  find  plenty  of  un- 
avoidable opportunities  for  self-denial  and  self-sacrifice 
without  courting  privation  and  suffering. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


FKOM  CISAMBA  TO  KUTUNDA. 


Decide  to  change  my  route. — Cisam'ba. — Collecting  carriers. — A  surgical 
operation. — White  man's  fetich. — Strange  comestibles. — Lu-ra-lu-ra-lu. 
—  Native  obsequies.  —  Ocimbombo.  —  Bacchanalian  carousals. — On 
show  "  at  Kapoko. — The  cornet  scare. — "  Putting  on  side." — Sanambello. 
— Court  speeches. — "A  nation  of  the  unemployed." — Reflections. — Trou- 
ble ahead. — A  lucky  shot. — Prescribing  for  the  sick. — Fourteen  days' 
delay. — Rumors  of  war. — Native  idiosyncrasies. — By  order  of  the  ''doc- 
tors."— Agricultural  prospects. — A  quiet  week. — White  ants. — Kundun- 
du. — Desertions. — A  kind-hearted  chief. 


UGrUST  1st.    Six  weeks  since  the  last  entry  in 


jL~\.  my  journal,  and  yet  the  prospects  of  a  start  east- 
ward seem  darker  than  ever;  the  fair  promises  of  ob- 
taining carriers  remain  unfulfilled;  hopes  and  expec- 
tations raised  one  day,  only  to  be  blighted  the  next. 
Seeing  the  scarcity  of  men,  I  have  sent  back  to  the 
coast  a  number  of  my  packages  for  shipment  to  Eng- 
land, along  with  several  boxes  left  at  Catambella  for 
the  same  reason.  Still,  bearers  have  to  be  found  for 
fifty  loads,  all  of  which  I  deem  necessary  to  the  safety 
and  progress  of  the  expedition. 

For  some  months  past  Mr.  A  has  been  collecting 

natives  to  take  on  a  party  of  Brethren  as  far  as  Nana 
Kundundu,  and  is  still  booking  every  man  he  can  pick 
up.  I  being  a  stranger,  and  not  knowing  the  Umbundu 
language,  the  odds  are  against  me ;  the  only  alternative 

67 


68 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


now  is  to  look  elsewhere  for  the  means  of  conveying 
my  trade  cloth,  beads,  provisions,  etc.,  so  as  to  enable 
me  to  proceed  on  my  journey ;  but  move  on  I  must,  or 
die  of  ennui. 

The  3d  of  August  found  me  at  Cisamba,  thirty  miles 
northeast  of  Kwanjululu,  my  camp  pitched  in  the  for- 
est near  one  of  the  mission  stations  of  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  in  charge 
of  the  Eev.  W.  T.  Currie  of  Canada,  where  a  variety  of 
circumstances  which  need  not  be  detailed  here  deter- 
mined a  change  in  my  route  inland. 

I  had  intended  going  through  the  Katanga  country 
and  striking  east  to  the  Lakes,  purposing  to  visit,  so  far 
as  my  limited  time  would  allow,  those  parts  of  South 
Central  Africa  of  most  interest  to  the  friends  of  mis- 
sions. But  as  there  is  only  one  station  on  this  route, 
viz.,  the  Brethren  Mission  at  Garanganze,  and  having 
met  two  of  their  party  just  returned  from  that  country, 
who  had  been  five  months  on  the  road,  seeing  but  little 
worthy  of  note  by  the  way,  traversing  for  weeks  to- 
gether vast  plains  of  burning  white  sand,  I  felt  that  to 
me  it  would  mean  five  months  wasted.  So  I  decided 
to  steer  a  course  farther  south,  in  the  direction  of  the 
Barotse  Valley,  visit  the  French  Evangelical  Mission  on 
the  Zambesi,  from  thence  pushing  on  to  Nyasa  as  the 
way  might  oj^en  up.  In  the  meantime,  I  set  to  work  in 
earnest  to  acquire  what  I  could  of  the  Umbundu  lan- 
guage, as  an  interpreter  to  accompany  me  was  not  to 
be  had.  Thus  a  further  delay  of  several  weeks  was 
unavoidable. 

Within  a  few  days,  through  the  aid  of  Mr.  Currie,  a 
number  of  headmen  from  the  surrounding  villages  were 


A  SURGICAL  OPERATION. 


69 


brought  together  and  commissioned  to  collect  carriers 
as  speedily  as  possible. 

I  did  not  think  it  advisable  to  leave  any  of  the 
Jamaicans  at  the  Kwanjnlulu  mission,  there  being  a 
plethora  of  missionaries  on  that  station,  and  the  cry  is, 
"  Still  they  come ;  "  besides,  several  of  them  are  specially 
adapted  to  do  the  work  for  which  the  colored  men  were 
intended. 

At  .Cisamba,  however,  it  was  far  otherwise.  We 
found  Mr.  Currie  toiling  bravely,  though  almost  single- 
handed,  having  only  the  help  of  a  few  native  lads  in 
erecting  a  dwelling  for  himself  and  his  colleague,  the 
Rev.  W.  Lee,  who  was  then  on  his  way  up  from  the 
coast  with  his  young  wife,  while  the  buildings  were 
yet  far  from  ready. 

My  men  were  heartily  welcomed,  and  they  set  to 
work  with  a  vigor  and  a  will  that  left  Mr.  Currie  free 
to  attend  to  the  many  duties  which  had  otherwise  to 
be  suspended — such  as  visiting  among  the  villages  and 
aiding  with  medicine  the  many  sick  people  who  came 
every  day  for  relief.  In  this  department  I  was  glad  to 
be  of  service,  and  had  thereby  an  opportunity  of  ob- 
serving the  class  of  diseases  to  which  the  natives  of 
the  district  are  subject. 

Many  interesting  cases  appeared,  among  them  an  old 
man  with  a  large  ulcer  on  the  leg,  that  had  resisted 
every  remedy — seemingly  a  hopeless  case.  On  exam- 
ination, I  found  extensive  necrosis  of  the  tihia^  and 
proposed  to  remove  the  dead  portion  of  bone ;  but  as 
chloroform  has  never  been  administered  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  and  the  patient  being  far  advanced  in  life, 
we  realized  that  there  was  no  small  risk.   We  placed 


70 


REALITY  yERSUS  ROMANCE. 


him,  however,  on  a  table  in  the  open  yard,  and  in  a 
few  minntes  had  him  under  the  influence  of  the  sense- 
stealing  vapor,  while  a  wondering  crowd  of  natives 
stood  around,  marveling  at  the  strange  proceeding, 
and  conjecturing  among  themselves  what  kind  of  fe- 
tich this  could  be  that  made  a  man  submit  to  having 
his  leg  cut  and  gouged  without  a  murmur  or  remon- 
strance. In  a  short  time  the  wound  was  di'essed,  and, 
the  effects  of  the  anaesthetic  passing  off,  the  astonished 
Sekulo  sat  up,  amid  the  shouts  of  surprise  and  greet- 
ings of  his  friends. 

The  month  spent  at  Ci samba  has  been  in  every  way 
pleasant  and  profitable.  Daily  contact  with  the  people 
has  given  me  to  understand  a  good  deal  of  their  man- 
ners and  customs.  I  visited  several  villages  in  the 
surrounding  districts,  and  while  crossing  a  plain  on  one 
of  these  excursions  observed  hundreds  of  women  and 
children  wandering  about  among  the  young  grass  and 
weeds  that  were  just  springing  up  after  the  annual  fires. 
They  were  most  of  the  time  in  a  stooping  posture,  as 
if  looking  for  something,  and  were  gathering  the  object 
of  their  search  into  calabashes  and  baskets. 

Leaving  the  path  and  approaching  a  group,  I  heard 
them  making  a  peculiar  noise  by  protruding  the  tongue 
and  moving  it  rapidly  between  the  lips  from  side  to 
side,  meanwhile  keeping  up  a  high-pitched  monotone 
in  a  minor  key,  like  "  lu-ra-lu-ra-lu."  My  curiosity  was 
excited.  What  was  it  all  about  ?  They  were  harvest- 
ing the  August  crop  of  caterpillars,  which  they  dry  in 
the  sun,  stew,  and  eat  as  a  relish  with  their  cornmeal 
mush,  considering  them  a  great  delicacy.  But  why 
keep  up  that  peculiar  cry?    Well,  the  insects  being 


STRANGE  COMESTIBLES. 


71 


of  the  same  color  as  the  grass,  it  was  difficult  to  see 
them;  but  no  sooner  did  the  harvesters  bend  to  their 
work  and  commence  the  "lu-ra-lu"  than  there  was  an 
instant  commotion  among  the  green  blades,  the  creep- 
ing things  standing  up  on  their  hind  legs  and  swaying 
their  bodies  to  and  fro,  when  they  were  easily  captured. 

The  tastes  of  the  0\nmbundu  are  not  confined  to  cat- 
erpillars as  a  relish,  but  grasshoppers,  rats,  mice,  and 
every  -kind  of  hawk  or  buzzard  may  be  included  among 
their  luxuries — anything  in  the  form  of  flesh,  no  mat- 
ter what.  Whether  dead  from  disease  or  killed  by 
themselves,  it  makes  no  difference — horse,  mule,  or 
dog,  if  even  buried  and  the  place  of  interment  discov- 
ered, it  may  be  a  few  days  late — all  the  same,  it  is  meat. 
The  idea  expressed  by  the  word  "  nasty  "  has  no  equiv- 
alent in  their  vocabulary. 

I  was  interested  in  watching  the  movements  of  a 
funeral  procession  passing  within  a  short  distance  of 
my  tent.  The  body  was  carried  in  a  hammock  dec- 
orated with  gayly  colored  cloth  and  suspended  from 
a  pole  carried  between  two  men,  and  followed  by  a 
crowd  of  natives  yelling  and  shouting  at  the  top  of 
their  voices,  while  gun-firing  and  beating  of  drums 
added  to  the  unearthly  uproar.  The  bearers  of  the 
corpse  ran  hither  and  thither  among  the  people,  while 
the  witch-doctor  danced  around  it,  gesticulating  in  the 
most  frenzied  manner,  every  few  steps  calling  a  halt, 
pretending  to  interrogate  the  dead  as  to  the  probable 
cause  of  death,  or  as  to  who  had  put  this  fetich  upon 
him  that  he  died.  Should  the  men  controlling  the 
hammock  with  its  burden  stop  suddenly  opposite  any 
individual  in  particular,  it  is  taken  as  a  sure  indication 


72 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


that  this  is  the  guilty  party,  who  will  have  to  pay  cloth, 
sheep,  or  pigs  as  an  atonement.  But  in  this  case,  after 
performing  for  about  an  hour,  off  they  went  with  a 
rush  to  the  burying-grouncl ;  so  it  was  probably  de- 
cided that  the  deceased  had  swallowed  his  own  fetich, 
and  he  was  buried  forthwith. 

The  disposal  of  dead  bodies  by  placing  them  in  trees 
signifies  that  the  deceased  was  a  stranger  from  another 
tribe ;  and  this  method  is  resorted  to  in  event  of  rela- 
tions coming  to  inquire  for  the  departed.  Should  any 
doubt  arise  as  to  his  demise,  they  are  directed  to  his 
elevated  resting-place,  where  they  may  identify  the 
body  for  themselves.  In  the  evening,  the  village 
where  the  death  took  place  will  be  filled  with  people, 
an  ox  killed  and  a  big  feast  spread,  a  portion  of  the 
meat  being  laid  aside  for  a  peace-offering  to  the  spirit, 
and  the  horns  of  the  animal  stuck  on  a  pole  1)y  the 
grave,  together  with  the  earthly  belongings  of  the 
departed.  Then  for  several  days  there  will  be  a  great 
beer-drinking,  when  young  and  old  get  drunk,  and 
the  nights  are  spent  in  dancing,  singing,  and  drum- 
thumping. 

These  beer  or  "ocimbombo"  carousals  are  not  con- 
fined to  funerals,  for  at  this  season  of  the  year  they 
form  the  chief  occupation  of  the  natives ;  so  much  so, 
that  it  is  especially  difficult  to  induce  carriers  to  take 
the  road  while  these  revelings  are  in  progress.  The 
liquor  is  made  from  corn  soaked  in  water  until  it  begins 
to  sprout,  then  dried  and  pounded  into  meal,  boiled  to 
the  consistency  of  thin  gruel,  and  allowed  to  stand  until 
it  ferments,  when  it  has  a  sourish  taste  with  a  peculiar 
flavor,  from  the  presence  of  a  juice  obtained  from  the 


.    BACCHANALIAN  CAROUSALS.  73 

umbundi  root  and  added  at  the  time  of  boiling.  The 
greater  part  of  the  year's  crop  is  consumed  in  this  way. 

While  passing  the  village  of  Kolombambi  a  short 
time  ago,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  one  of  these 
orgies  in  full  blast.  Over  five  hundred  natives  of  all 
ages  and  both  sexes  were  assembled  within  the  stock- 
ade ;  calabashes  of  the  intoxicating  beverage  were  cir- 
culating freely;  the  drummers  were  pounding  on  the 
goatskins  as  if  for  their  lives,  about  forty  women  ac- 
companying their  wild  chants  by  rhythmically  shaking 
gourds  containing  small  hard  seeds,  the  crowd  joining 
in  the  choruses  between  times,  giving  vent  to  the  most 
hideous  and  demoniacal  yells.  Hundreds  of  men  and 
women  all  but  nude  presented  every  phase  of  intoxi- 
cation from  mere  talkativeness  to  maudlin  and  pugna- 
cious drunkenness,  shuffling  and  swaying  their  bodies 
in  gestures  too  indecent  to  describe.  I  turned  away 
from  the  sickening  sight,  convinced  that  whether  rum 
is  introduced  as  an  article  of  trade  into  Africa  or  not, 
the  savage  already  knows  too  well  how  to  manufacture 
drink  for  his  own  debaucheries. 

In  the  course  of  our  perambulations  about  Bihe  we 
were  led  to  remark  on  the  many  forms  that  superstition 
assumes  among  the  Biheans.  One  in  particular  we 
met  at  cross-paths  near  villages  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
native  dwellings,  in  the  shape  of  a  miniature  conical 
hut  of  grass  about  two  feet  high,  with  a  door  propor- 
tionately small,  and  built  by  the  public  sorcerer.  Some- 
times it  contains  a  little  roughly  carved  wooden  image, 
but  more  often  only  a  few  bits  of  broken  pottery,  egg- 
shells, or  hair.  Its  special  fimction  is  not  very  clearly 
defined,  but  it  is  supposed  to  scare  hostile  neighbors, 


74 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


insure  the  safe  return  of  the  warriors  who  go  forth  on 
fighting  and  plundering  expeditions,  and  also  to  pro- 
tect their  families  during  their  absence. 

September  8th.  At  last  we  make  a  move,  although 
the  loads  are  not  all  lifted ;  but  even  the  carriers  who 
are  engaged  don't  seem  to  believe  the  traveler  is  ready 
to  start  until  they  see  his  flag  move  on  to  the  first, 
camp.  Seeing  this  is  expected,  we  have  gratified  them, 
for  here  we  are  at  Kopoko,  eight  miles  from  Cisamba, 
with  our  headmen,  thirty  carriers,  and  two  Jamaicans, 
Frater  and  Jonathan  (the  others  remaining  to  assist 
Mr.  Currie),  expecting  that  the  remaining  loads  will 
be  forwarded  in  a  few  days,  although  how  long  we  are 
destined  to  sit  in  this  the  first  camp  on  the  road,  I 
cannot  tell. 

My  tent  is  pitched  by  the  side  of  a  forest,  in  sight  of 
a  number  of  villages;  consequently  the  last  peg  had 
scarcely  been  driven  when  we  were  besieged  by  throngs 
of  natives,  one  and  all  taking  a  critical  interest  in 
everything  they  see  about  the  white  man's  belongings, 
amused  and  frightened  by  turns,  and  expressing  their 
amazement  by  ejaculations  of  "  Eh !  Eh !  "  when  shown 
the  mechanism  of  a  rifle  or  revolver;  but  the  marvel 
of  marvels  was  my  little  American  magic  lamp.  The 
next  best  show  was  dinner,  laid  on  the  camp-table  in 
the  tent;  when  I  proceeded  to  eat,  with  a  rush  they 
crowded  round  the  door,  mothers  lifting  up  their  chil- 
dren to  have  a  look  at  the,  to  them,  strange  perform- 
ance of  eating  with  a  knife  and  fork.  Every  movement 
during  the  meal  w^as  watched  with  unabated  interest  to 
the  end.  This  over,  and  desiring  still  further  to  please 
the  citizens  of  Kopoko  (as  I  am  in  want  of  more  por- 


THE  CORNET  SCARE. 


75 


ters,  and  among  my  audience  are  many  relatives  and 
friends  of  the  men  now  in  camp,  en  route  with  me),  I 
got  out  my  cornet.  Its  glitter  caught  every  eye,  and 
the  crowd  pressed  closer  than  was  agreeable,  to  exam- 
ine it;  but  at  the  first  shrill  blast  I  was  alone,  with 
only  a  few  of  the  older  men.  Such  a  stampede !  They 
tumbled  over  one  another  in  the  desperate  effort  to 
escape  from  a  sound  that  resembled  nothing  they  had 
ever'  heard  before.  When  at  a  safe  distance,  they 
peered  from  behind  trees,  and,  seeing  the  Sekulos  still 
sitting  near  unhurt,  and  even  laughing,  they  took  cour- 
age and  ventured  back  again,  resuming  the  squatting 
position.  To  quiet  their  nerves  they  passed  the  snuff- 
boxes, for  they  all  take  snuff,  men  and  women ;  and  as 
the  sun  went  down  children  were  sent  off  to  the  huts 
to  bring  several  baskets  of  yams  and  meal,  manifest- 
ing in  this  way  their  desire  to  reciprocate  our  friendli- 
ness. This  experience  is  quite  bearable  and  even  amus- 
ing at  first,  but  when  it  comes  to  be  repeated  day  after 
day,  with  scarcely  a  variation,  one  gets  heartsick  and 
faint  at  the  very  sight  of  approaching  visitors. 

I  went  on  a  visit  to  the  chief  of  Kopoko  by  the  ex- 
press wish  of  my  headmen;  they  were  anxious  that  I 
should  make  a  good  impression  on  the  great  man  (more 
for  their  own  glorification  than  mine),  and  directed  the 
order  of  march.  I  must  not  walk,  but  be  carried  in  a 
tipoia,  although  the  distance  was  not  over  a  mile.  My 
trumpeter  or  spokesman  takes  the  lead,  and  behind,  a 
native  carrying  my  camp-chair,  followed  by  another 
with  the  cloth  to  be  presented  to  his  majesty;  in  the 
rear,  a  retinue  of  the  favored  individuals  who  have 
been  invited  to  attend  the  interview.    On  reaching  the 


76 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


palace  (a  round  mud  hut)  we  found  the  chief  busy  with 
a  needle  and  thread  mending  his  loin-cloth ;  but  on  see- 
ing us  approach,  he  dropped  it  and  hurried  half  across 
the  yard  to  greet  us.  Kananene,  for  that  is  his  name, 
appears  to  be  about  fifty  years  of  age,  quiet  and  unas- 
suming in  his  manner  as  compared  to  most  African 
chiefs;  but  there  is  something  foxy  and  sneaking  in 
his  face  that  I  mistrust,  although  I  am  told  he  fills  his 
place  at  the  ombala  with  credit,  and  seeks  the  peace 
and  welfare  of  the  country,  avoiding  raids,  war,  and 
strife,  and  expresses  a  desire  that  missionaries  should 
come  and  teach  his  people,  although  these  petty  chiefs 
have  in  reality  very  little  control  over  their  subjects 
and  country. 

We  were  seated  amid  the  clapping  of  hands  and 
'''halting as''''  of  the  guests  and  courtiers,  who  filed  in  and 
squatted  in  a  circle  around  us.  My  speaker,  Sanam- 
bello,  proceeded  with  the  palaver  (it  is.  not  considered 
dignified  in  these  formal  or  business  interviews  that 
two  chiefs  should  address  each  other  except  through 
a  second  party)  by  a  long  harangue  about  how  far  I 
had  come  to  see  the  country;  that  I  had  shown  kind- 
ness to  the  people  by  paying  them  well  for  any  service 
they  had  rendered  me,  giving  them  medicine,  etc. ;  that 
now  I  was  about  to  travel  farther  into  the  interior  and 
required  carriers  to  take  on  my  trade  cloth  and  other 
goods;  closing  with  a  grand  peroration  of  flattering 
eulogisms  to  Kananene.  Now  the  prime-minister  takes 
his  turn.  His  face,  like  several  others  we  have  met 
during  our  journey,  is  terribly  disfigured  by  the  burst- 
ing of  one  of  those  wretched  trade  guns  supplied  to 
the  natives  by  the  traders  at  the  coast.    He  replies  at 


COURT  SPEECHES.  77 

great  length,  stating  that  I  had  been  long  enough  at 
Cisamba  for  them  to  hear  of  me,  and  that  they  had  no 
doubt  I  would  deal  fairly  with  and  protect  any  men 
who  might  venture  into  the  countries  beyond  with  me ; 
also,  that  the  chief  Avould  visit  my  camp  in  a  few  days 
and  talk  over  matters.  Oh,  if  only  he  knew  how  sick 
and  tired  I  am  of  sitting  in  the  forest  day  after  day, 
he  would  have  ordered  his  men  to  get  ready  at  once, 
instead  of  saying,  "In  a  few  days  we  will  talk  about 
it ;  "  but  the  innate  greed  of  the  African  suggests  this 
further  delay  in  the  hope  of  more  pelf.  Some  of  his 
wives  appeared,  carrying  large  gourds  of  beer  for  my 
men,  who  have  an  enormous  capacity  in  this  direction. 
A  few  minutes  suffice  to  see  the  vessels  empty.  The 
word  "  Twendi we  go ")  is  passed,  and  without 
more  ceremony  we  take  our  leave  and  return  to  camp, 
where  from  dawn  until  dark  there  is  no  room  to  stir 
for  the  giggling,  jabbering  crowd  of  the  "unemployed" 
occupying  every  available  space  round  the  tent. 

Time  hangs  heavy  on  the  hands  of  the  native  Afri- 
can. Now  and  again  a  man  of  some  importance  in  the 
community  honors  me  with  a  call  and  presents  himself 
with  many  ceremonious  salutations.  I  try  to  attend 
when  he  speaks,  and  can  just  make  out  sufficient  from 
his  harangue  to  know  who  he  is,  where  he  comes  from, 
and  that  he  wants  medicine,  a  knife,  a  needle  and 
thread,  or  some  such  trifle.  But  the  setting  of  the  sun 
generally  brings  relief,  as  all  natives  have  a  great  horror 
of  being  out  after  dark.  This  is  by  far  the  most  thickly 
populated  district  we  have  come  across  as  yet,  and 
offers  a  splendid  center  for  mission  work. 

September  13th.    Sunday,  or  "Calimingo,"  as  the 


78 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


natives  call  it.  I  explain  as  best  I  can  to  the  people  as 
they  arrive  that  this  is  the  day  of  rest  from  palavers, 
entertainments,  buying  and  selling,  when  they  retire, 
assuring  me,  at  the  same  time,  for  my  comfort,  that 
they  will  come  back  to-morrow — which  promise  I  doubt 
not  they  will  keep  to  the  letter,  although  they  are  by 
no  means  proverbial  for  sticking  to  their  word.  At 
any  rate,  we  have  one  quiet,  restful  day,  although  when 
I  reflect  on  my  position  and  the  prospects  of  accom- 
plishing this  undertaking,  the  future  looks  so  dark 
that  an  overwhelming  sadness  oppresses  me.  My 
thoughts  wander  back  to  the  little  island  of  the  west 
where  my  loved  ones  dwell,  and  where  I  have  spent  so 
many  happy  years  of  toil  among  a  people  who  have  to 
own  this  as  their  fatherland.  I  think  of  the  crowds  as 
they  assemble  at  the  various  stations  of  the  mission, 
from  mountain  hamlets  and  luxuriant  glens,  where  in 
rich  profusion  grow  the  orange  trees,  the  cocoanut 
palms,  coffee  and  bananas,  while  the  balmy  air  is  laden 
with  the  perfume  of  spices — so  cleanly  and  comfortably 
attired,  leaving  behind  for  the  time  their  cottage  homes 
of  peace  and  plenty,  to  gather  in  the  house  of  prayer, 
to  sing  as  only  they  can  sing,  and  pray  with  earnest- 
ness and  simplicity  of  faith,  and  listen  to  the  Word  of 
God.  It  is  to  them,  indeed,  a  message  of  love  and  good 
tidings. 

Such  are  the  scenes  which  pass  rapidly  before  my 
mental  eye,  until  the  first  impulse  is  to  give  up  this 
struggle  and  return.  But  the  thought  that  what  the 
Jamaican  is  to-day  these  i30or  benighted  and  degraded 
people  around  me  might  be  had  they  the  same  oppor- 
tunities, confirms  my  determination  to  proceed  as  far 


A  LUCKY  SHOT. 


79 


and  to  see  as  mucli  of  their  condition  as  I  can;  ear- 
nestly hoping  that  my  experience  be  of  service  to 
others  who  may  follow,  and  that  the  journey  will  in 
some  way  add  its  quota  to  the  opening  up  of  this  dark, 
sin-blighted  land. 

September  14th.  Early  this  morning  one  of  my  tin 
boxes  already  given  out  was  brought  back. .  The  car- 
rier on  receiving  it  had  taken  it  to  his  village,  as  is  the 
custom,  to  have  his  carrying-sticks  tied  on.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  committed  some  crime,  for  which  he 
had  to  remain  and  be  tried.  This  circumstance  was 
far  from  amusing  to  me,  particularly  as  I  saw  in  the 
faces  of  several  of  my  men  evidences  of  displeasure  at 
the  way  in  which  the  culprit  was  being  dealt  with  by 
the  headmen  of  the  village ;  and  I  dreaded  the  proba- 
bility of  their  wishing  to  stay  to  attend  the  trial,  thus 
delaying  me  indefinitely.  A  dispute  forthwith  arose, 
and  for  a  full  hour  the  babble  of  voices  was  enough  to 
drive  one  to  distraction.  Sitting  at  my  tent  door  in 
anything  but  a  calm  or  peaceful  state  of  mind,  though 
hardly  restraining  the  strong  inclination  to  drive  the 
whole  gang  from  the  camp,  I  espied  a  large  hawk  soar- 
ing over  our  heads  at  about  forty  yards.  My  rifle  was 
lying  close  by ;  instantly  raising  it  to  my  shoulder,  I 
fired.  Ere  the  crowd  had  time  to  recover  from  the 
alarm  caused  by  the  sudden  shot,  the  bird  dropped  dead 
in  their  midst.  The  uproar  was  immense,  and  the  pre- 
vious squabble  was  too  insignificant  to  be  thought 
of  now.  Here  was  a  bird  every  feather  of  which  is 
prized  by  the  men  as  a  talisman  of  strength  and  cour- 
age, and  by  the  women  as  possessing  certain  undefined 
charms  which  enter  into  their  fetiches.    For  the  rest 


80 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


of  the  day  all  other  topics  were  forgotten;  again  and 
again  they  mimicked  the  picking  up  of  the  rifle,  and 
how  the  bird  fell  with  a  thud;  to  every  new  arrival 
the  whole  story  was  related,  and  they  were  satisfied 
there  would  be  plenty  of  meat  on  the  road  if  they 
traveled  with  me.  Let  us  hope  they  will  not  be  disap- 
pointed. 

At  noon  Kananene  appeared  according  to  promise, 
carried  in  a  tipoia,  in  full  dress,  having  donned,  besides 
his  loin-cloth,  a  long  black  coat  with  military  epaulets. 
He  was  no  sooner  seated  than  he  asked  for  something 
to  drink.  Having  no  spirits,  I  mixed  a  little  chloro- 
dyne  in  water  and  gave  it  him,  which  he  evidently  ap- 
preciated. I  tried  to  interest  him  in  the  usual  way, 
and  presented  him  with  a  box  of  matches  on  his  de- 
parture. In  the  evening  his  secretary  came  to  the 
camp  with  several  men  offering  their  services  as  car- 
riers. I  closed  the  various  duties  of  the  day  by  pre- 
scribing for  eighteen  sick  people ;  several  of  them  were 
cases  of  fever,  but  the  majority  skin  disease  very  diffi- 
cult to  diagnose,  as  the  problem  is  to  decide  whether 
the  incrustations  are  from  within  or  without. 

I  was  surprised  at  the  extraordinary  prevalence  of 
goiter,  some  of  enormous  size,  affecting  chiefly  women 
and  children.  I  should  say  it  is  quite  within  the  mark 
to  put  the  percentage  at  forty-five.  They  have  to 
thank  Dr.  Lowe,  Professor  Simpson,  and  the  directors 
of  the  Edinburgh  Medical  Missionary  Society  for  the 
benefit  they  received  from  the  medicines ;  for  had  it  not 
been  for  the  liberal  supply  of  drugs  presented  me  by 
that  noble  institution,  I  might  have  had  to  refuse  aid 
to  many  poor  sufferers  I  have  helped  since  leaving  the 


RUMORS  OF  H^AR. 


81 


coast,  besides  replenishiug  the  stock  of  several  mission- 
aries short  of  quinine,  rousers,  etc. 

September  22d.  We  have  been  here  now  fourteen 
days,  and  during  this  time  have  tasted  to  the  full  the 
bitterness  of  collecting  carriers  among  these  wretched 
peojDle — one  day  rationing  and  booking  a  number  of 
men,  the  next  canceling  as  many.  I  had  been  told  that 
when  a  native  takes  rations  and  ties  his  stick  on  a 
load,  he  rarely,  if  ever,  retracts ;  this  is  sheer  nonsense, 
as  the  Bihean  (and  subsequent  experience  of  months 
with  a  hundred  of  them  gave  me  no  reason  to  alter  my 
opinion)  is  influenced  by  neither  conscience  nor  prin- 
ciple. His  actions  are  controlled  by  the  basest  of  mo- 
tives, selfishness  and  superstition  coming  out  ahead 
every  time.  We  were  to  have  started  on  the  17th,  but 
the  child  of  one  of  the  headmen  fell  sick,  and  the  cause 
had  to  be  inquired  into  by  the  tedious  process  of  con- 
sulting the  fetich-doctor.  Another  headman  came  to 
say  that  his  men  refused  to  go  because  news  had 
reached  them  of  war  in  the  GrangueUa  country,  through 
which  we  have  to  pass,  about  four  or  five  days'  march 
from  here. 

This  may  be  true,  as  I  understand  the  Portuguese 
are  fighting  among  the  tribes  east  of  the  Kukema 
Elver;  but  as  I  do  not  intend  to  side  with  either 
party,  and  my  carriers  know  it,  this  is  a  paltry  ex- 
cuse. They  are  arrant  cowards,  every  man  Jack  of 
them.  Around  the  camp-fire  they  vie  with  each  other 
in  boasting  of  their  bravery  and  prowess,  but,  like  big 
overgrown  children,  run  at  the  first  appearance  of  dan- 
ger. I  promise  to  go  on  ahead  each  day  to  see  that 
the  coast  is  clear  for  them ;  and  after  a  long  palaver 


82 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


they  consent  to  start  to-morrow.  The  vexing  repeti- 
tion of  this  sort  of  thing  day  after  day  is  enough  to 
drive  one  mad,  seeing  that  several  of  my  loads  are  still 
to  be  lifted,  and  the  rainy  season  approaching,  when 
the  lowlands  en  route  will  be  flooded. 

But  I  resent  the  idea  of  my  plans  being  defeated  by 
a  people  exhibiting  the  most  despicable  traits  of  char- 
acter ever  heard  of.  Oh,  how  they  enjoy  treading  on 
the  white  man  when  they  think  he  is  cornered,  or  in 
any  way  under  obligation  to  them  !  Some  will  come, 
have  their  names  put  down,  and  just  by  the  way  sug- 
gest that  they  have  a  little  debt  that  hinders  their 
starting  right  away,  but  that  a  piece  of  cloth  would 
square  matters.  We  are  not  caught,  however,  and 
they  return  no  more.  The  result  would  have  been  the 
same  had  they  got  the  cloth,  but  my  chagrin  would 
have  been  greater.  Yesterday,  my  chief  "pombiero," 
Sanambello,  whom  I  trust  most — which  is  not  saying 
much — arrived  with  his  men  and  their  loads,  telling  me 
the  others  would  come  on  to-day.  For  several  days 
we  have  had  two  women  pounding  corn  for  our  own 
use,  so  that  we  have  now  a  good  supply.  I  decided  to 
go  on  to  Ciyuka  to-morrow — eight  miles — and  sent  a 
notice  to  that  effect  to  those  in  the  rear. 

September  23d.  Hiring  a  dozen  women  to  carry  the 
unlifted  loads,  we  started  for  Ciyuka,  arriving  there  at 
11  A.M.  I  pitched  my  tent  near  a  small  stream,  and 
stacked  the  loads  with  an  awning  over  them,  as  there 
is  every  indication  of  rain.  I  lost  no  time  in  paying 
a  visit  to  the  chief,  Ohosi,  and  found  him  in  a  small 
hut  within  a  skerm  of  brush,  but  outside  the  ombala, 
as  he  is  sick,  and  the  spirits  of  departed  chiefs  gave 


AGRICULTURE. 


83 


him  no  chance  to  get  better  while  in  his  own  house; 
hence  the  isolation  by  order  of  the  doctors.  He  is 
the  youngest  petty  ruler  I  have  seen — probably  about 
thirty-five ;  of  slim  build,  rather  delicate-looking,  and 
genial  in  his  manner.  He  received  us  most  cordially, 
with  of  course  the  usual  ceremony.  He  was  told  the 
purpose  of  our  visit,  viz.,  to  get  young  men  to  join  our 
caravan  as  far  as  the  Barotse.  He  replied  that  he 
would  do  whatever  lay  in  his  power  to  get  men,  as 
several  of  his  people  had  received  medicines  from  me 
at  Kopoko,  that  had  done  them  good.  He  was  glad  I 
had  come  so  near  his  village,  for  no  doubt  I  would  be 
able  to  take  away  his  sickness,  though  his  own  medical 
advisers  had  failed.  I  gave  him  a  present  of  cloth  and 
departed.  In  the  evening  he  called  for  his  medicine, 
when  I  was  glad  to  find  his  malady  one,  as  a  rule,  quite 
amenable  to  treatment.  His  sickness  may  yet  prove 
fortunate  for  us,  as,  if  relieved,  gratitude  may  induce 
him  to  render  the  aid  we  need.  Next  morning  he  sent 
us  a  fine  black  goat  and  a  basket  of  meal ;  abundance 
of  yams  and  sweet  potatoes  have  been  brought  from 
the  villages  for  sale. 

The  elevation  of  Ciyuka  is  four  thousand  feet,  and 
the  country  generally  is  a  great  improvement  on  Bihe. 
Sugar-cane,  mealies,  cassava,  pumpkins,  yams,  and 
sweet  potatoes  seem  to  thrive  well;  but  neither  here 
nor  anywhere  else  since  leaving  Catambella  have  we 
seen  bananas  or  plantains.  Attempts  have  been  made 
by  the  American  missionaries  to  introduce  them ;  but 
though  planted,  some  of  them  for  five  or  six  years,  they 
have  as  yet  yielded  no  fruit.  (In  the  islands  of  the 
West  Indies  each  sucker  yields  a  bunch  of  fruit  within 


84 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


twelve  months  from  the  time  of  planting.)  Every  care 
has  been  taken  during  the  winter  months  to  keep  out 
the  frost  by  wrapping  each  plant  in  grass;  still,  the 
leaves  and  center  shoots  are  exposed  and  get  bhghted 
by  the  black  frosts  of  July  and  August,  and  are  thus 
prevented  from  ever  reaching  maturity  in  these  regions. 

We  are  not  annoyed  by  crowds  of  natives  here,  the 
chief  having  forbidden  their  entering  our  camp,  except 
on  business — a  happy  contrast  to  the  miserable  time 
we  had  at  Kopoko.  Here  we  are  not  in  such  a  hurry 
to  advance ;  I  should  almost  enjoy  a  couple  of  weeks' 
stay,  but  there  is  something  wanting.  Week  in  and 
week  out  I  see » no  white  face,  and  the  longing  becomes 
intense  to  have  some  one  with  whom  to  talk  and  con- 
sult over  matters.  Prison-life  could  scarcely  be  worse 
than  this  monotony,  for  there,  at  least,  we  would  have 
something  to  do ;  here,  the  chief  employment  is  hunt- 
ing up  carriers,  and  this  must  be  equivalent  to  the 
treadmill.  Even  the  companionship  of  books  is  denied 
me,  having  had  to  send  most  of  them  back,  to  lessen 
the  weight  or  number  of  my  loads. 

The  white  ants  are  a  constant  source  of  trouble ;  they 
are  everywhere ;  there  is  nothing  they  will  not  destroy 
if  within  their  reach.  Last  night  they  succeeded  in 
cutting  the  bottom  out  of  my  camera  case,  and  made 
a  hole  eight  inches  square  in  the  tarpaulin  that  serves 
as  a  ground-sheet  for  my  tent.  Only  by  moving  every 
article  at  least  once  a  day,  or  placing  the  goods  high 
above  the  floor,  can  anything  be  preserved  from  these 
pests.  Fortunately,  there  are  no  grass  hce  or  ticks,  as 
in  the  West  Indies. 

Two  carriers  came  in  for  loads,  and  there  is  prospect 


KUNDUNDU. 


85 


of  more  to-morrow.  But  this  "to-morrow"  is  a  most 
tantalizing  word  from  tlie  lips  of  a  native,  as  it  simply 
implies  some  future  time;  so  I  won't  "throw  up  my 
hat "  yet  awhile.  I  am  feeling  thoroughly  broken  up 
to-night  from  worry  and  anxiety. 

Sunday,  27th.  Most  of  the  men  have  gone  to  neigh- 
boring villages.  There  seems  to  be  a  big  beer-drink 
on,  for  the  drums  have  been  going  at  a  great  rate 
ever  since  daylight.  No  missionary  influence  here ;  but 
there  is 'a  big  population,  and  it  is  certainly  a  promis- 
ing field  for  mission  work.  The  chief  is  in  warm  sym- 
pathy with  the  mission  at  Cisamba,  and  speaks  of  Mr. 
Currie  as  his  friend ;  although  nowhere  have  we  as  yet 
seen  a  native  man  or  woman  giving  evidence  of  having 
anything  like  a  true  conception  of  the  Christian's  God 
— not  even  among  those  who  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  visiting  the  mission  station  for  years.  With  them 
Jehovah  takes  a  second  place  to  their  god  Kundundu. 
The  former  name  they  will  use  in  addressing  man,  as 
a  sort  of  complimentary  term,  but  the  latter  never; 
and  Suku  (Grod)  they  often  apply  as  a  pet  name  to 
their  boys.  Until  a  thorough  system  of  evangelistic 
work,  by  itinerating  from  village  to  village,  is  adopted, 
there  is  little  to  be  hoj)ed  for  from  the  casual  visits  of 
the  natives  to  the  mission  stations  on  Sundays  toward 
breaking  down  the  prejudices  of  centuries. 

September  28th.  Three  new  men  took  loads  this 
morning.  The  chief,  who,  by  the  way,  has  almost  re- 
covered from  his  sickness,  takes  a  kindly  interest  in 
all  that  concerns  us,  spending  the  most  of  each  day 
in  camp,  and,  strange  to  say,  seems  to  be  above  beg- 
ging.   He  turned  up  with  six  more  carriers  and  a  pom- 


86 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


biero,  so  that  I  begin  to  feel  almost  happy  at  this  rift 
in  the  dark  cloud  and  brightening  of  my  prospects.  But 
by  noon  the  future  became  blacker  than  ever.  I  was 
informed  by  Sanambello  that  eighteen  loads  had  been 
brought  back,  and  that  the  carriers  had  deserted,  in- 
cluding nine  engaged  at  Cisamba  and  the  five  from 
Kopoko. 

Kananene  is  at  the  root  of  this ;  his  men  would  not 
have  abandoned  their  loads  without  permission.  It  is 
evident  that  my  suspicions  of  his  being  a  cunning  and 
two-faced  rogue  were  not  uncharitable ;  and  unless  we 
get  the  others  away  from  the  vicinity  of  their  villages, 
this  will  not  be  the  end  of  the  desertions.  But  I  will 
not  linger  over  the  recital  of  the  terrible  heart-burnings 
that  have  fallen  to  our  lot  in  this  the  commencement 
of  our  journey,  as  it  has  been  the  experience  of  almost 
every  traveler  who  has  sought  to  penetrate  the  unfre- 
quented regions  of  Central  Africa.  On  expressing  to 
Ohosi,  who  was  standing  by  when  the  loads  came  in, 
my  purpose  of  striking  camp  and  marching  on  another 
stage  above,  he  promptly  turned  round  to  a  band  of 
his  young  men  who  were  near,  and  ordered  each  one 
to  take  a  load  and  follow  me  to  Kutunda — nine  miles. 
In  a  couple  of  hours  we  were  on  the  road,  escorted  for 
several  miles  by  the  chief,  whom  I  shall  ever  remember 
with  feelings  of  respect  and  gratitude;  he  has  truly 
been  a  friend  in  need. 

We  reached  the  camping-ground  late  in  the  after- 
noon. Leaving  Frater  in  charge,  I  went  off  with  two 
of  the  headmen ;  when  sent  alone  I  find  that  they  get 
into  a  village,  beer  is  on  the  tapis,  and  business  has 
to  yield  to  pleasure.    We  were  fortunate  enough  to 


POUNDING  CORN.  87 

happen  upon  a  village  where  I  found  several  fellows 
who  carried  for  me  from  the  coast  to  Bihe ;  they  read- 
ily engaged,  and  now,  to  my  unbounded  satisfaction, 
every  load  has  a  carrier.  I  have  promised  to  stay  a 
day  or  two  to  give  them  time  to  pound  their  corn. 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  keep  the  women  at  work  who 
are  employed  to  pound  corn  for  us.  I  have  been  re- 
leased from  that  onerous  task  to-day,  however,  by  a 
man  putting  in  an  appearance  early  in  the  morning 
with  t^o  of  his  wives  and  asking  me  to  hire  them  a 
few  days  on  the  pestles  at  half  a  yard  of  calico  each. 
At  the  same  time  he  promised  to  stay  by  and  do  the 
driving  himself  gi^atis.  The  bargain  was  struck,  and 
so  far  he  has  not  deserted  his  post,  and  we  have  quite  a 
heap  of  meal  as  the  result. 


CHAPTER  y. 


AMONG  THE  GANGUELLIANS. 


My  caravan  complete. — Face  to  face  with  a  lion. — A  thunderstorm. — Cross- 
ing the  Kukema. — Nothing  for  dinner. — A  grand  concert. — ^A  promising 
field. — Petty  rulers. — Namby-pamby. — Lady  missionaries.  —  Trained 
nm'ses. — A  wild  chief. —  Ganguellians. —  Hairdressing  extraordinary. — 
Fetich  charms. — ^A  fine  country. — Iron-smelting. — Palavers  and  pigs. — 
The  Kwanza  Kiver. — ^A  wi'inkle  in  river-crossing. — Native  di'ead  of 
Europeans. — A  carved  stockade. — A  strange  phenomenon. — Fever  in  the 
camp. — Limping  into  camp. — In  the  wilderness. — Rubber  regions. — The 
honey-bird. — Picturesque  huts. 


CTOBER  1st.    Thank  God,  my  caravan  is  com- 


V_y  plete — ninety-seven  persons  all  told,  including 
Mtj  carriers,  eight  pombieros,  and  thirty- six  youths 
carrying  meal  and  salt  and  dried  fish  for  the  men.  By 
daybreak  this  morning,  and  with  a  heart  lighter  than 
it  has  been  at  any  time  during  the  last  three  months,  I 
gladly  took  the  lead,  and  marched  out  of  Kutunda ;  the 
men,  too,  seemed  in  good  spirits,  for  all  along  the  line 
they  sang  in  noisy  chorus,  as  they  trotted  on  with  their 
sixty-  to  eighty-pound  loads  on  their  shoulders.  I  had 
walked  for  about  an  hour  at  a  brisk  pace  a  stone's- 
throw  ahead  of  the  flag,  through  a  forest,  my  mind  full 
of  the  pleasure  of  at  last  effecting  a  fair  start,  when  my 
reflections  were  rudely  interrupted,  and  I  was  involun- 
tarily brought  to  a  halt  by  the  sudden  apparition,  right 
in  the  path,  about  fifty  yards  ahead,  of  a  full-grown 


88 


FACE  TO  FACE  IVITH  A  LION. 


89 


male  lion,  leisurely  watching  our  approach.  Having 
nothing  in  my  hand  but  a  stick,  I  had  no  desire  to  see 
the  distance  between  us  shortened.  My  gun-bearer 
was  some  distance  behind,  but  he  had  taken  in  the 
situation,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  "  Express "  was  in 
my  hands.  Still,  too  late,  as  the  shaggy  brute  skulked 
off  into  the  long  grass  with  a  surly  growl  before  I  could 
di'aw  upon  him;  but  his  appearance  had  a  salutary 
effect  upon  the  men,  who,  from  fear,  kept  well  together, 
and  prevented  straggling.  We  made  but  a  short  march 
of  eight  miles,  considering  it  judicious  not  to  allow  the 
carriers  to  feel  the  weight  of  their  loads  too  early  in  the 
journey. 

The  flag  stopped  at  Kondole,  where  we  found  a  num- 
ber of  ready-made  huts,  which  had  been  occupied  the 
night  before  by  a  party  of  natives  bringing  ivory  and 
rubber  from  the  interior,  and  bound  for  the  coast.  A 
heavy  thunderstorm  broke  over  us  about  9  p.m.  and 
continued  to  rage  furiously  until  2  a.m.,  torrents  of  rain 
falling  all  the  time.  The  huts  of  the  men  were  too  frail 
to  resist  the  wind,  most  of  the  grass  thatch  being  swept 
off,  leaving  the  bare  poles  and  the  occupants  exposed 
to  the  full  fury  of  the  blast.    Happily,  it  was  not  cold. 

October  2d.  Every  one  feeling  very  comfortless, 
their  bits  of  cloth  being  soaked  by  the  rain.  There 
was  no  delay  in  getting  started,  for  all  wanted  exercise. 
Our  tortuous  path  lay  mostly  through  forest,  now  and 
again  crossing  a  savanna,  where  the  young  grass  was 
springing.  Nothing  remarkable  about  the  topography 
of  the  country,  except  that  the  great  ant-hills,  for  which 
the  Cisamba  district  is  notable,  abound  here ;  some  of 
them  are  eighteen  feet  high  and  have  a  diameter  at  the 


90 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


base  of  thirty  feet.  We  reached  the  Kukema  Eiver  at 
9.30  A.M.,  and  several  hours  being  occupied  in  ferrying 
our  people  across,  we  decided  to  go  no  farther  to-day, 
especially  as  the  ombala  of  Ongandu  was  close  by,  sur- 
rounded and  shaded  by  beautiful  trees,  called  by  the 
natives  ''ulembi." 

The  chief,  Cipopa,  invited  us  to  stay  in  his  village, 
promising  to  provide  huts  for  the  men.  Notwithstand- 
my  very  strong  objections,  for  many  reasons,  against 
camping  in  a  strange  village,  I  was  so  favorably  im- 
pressed with  this  man's  appearance  and  manner,  that  I 
accepted  his  hospitality,  and  forthwith  had  my  goods 
stacked  and  tent  pitched  inside  the  stockade.  All  was 
snug,  and  I  was  just  having  an  audience  with  the  king, 
when  Frater  whispered  in  my  ear  the  commonplace  re- 
mark that  there  was  nothing  for  dinner  but  desiccated 
soup.  This  stuff  tastes  to  me  now  very  much  like 
desiccated  glue,  and  I  decided  to  go  and  look  for  some- 
thing more  palatable. 

Two  young  natives  volunteered  to  take  me  where 
game  was  to  be  found.  Following  my  guides,  after 
walking  about  five  miles  we  came  to  a  valley  opening 
out  to  a  vast  plain ;  and  sure  enough,  right  before  us, 
about  six  hundred  yards,  were  four  oryx  and  two 
Lechwe  antelopes  peacefully  browsing  on  the  young 
grass.  Although  we  lay  flat  on  the  ground,  the  grass 
was  too  short  to  cover  us,  and  in  an  instant  they  sighted 
us  and  were  off.  For  two  hours  we  tried  every  stratagem 
to  get  within  three  hundred  yards  of  them,  but  in  vain ; 
every  attempt  to  circumvent  them  failed.  It  was  of 
no  use ;  there  was  nothing  to  hide  us  from  their  keen 
sight.    At  last  I  thought  of  attempting  a  long  shot,  for 


A  GRAND  CONCERT. 


91 


I  was  hungry,  having  eaten  nothing  since  5.30  a.m.,  and 
it  was  now  4  p.m.  But  alas  for  my  dinner !  Though  I 
adjusted  the  sight  carefully,  took  steady  aim,  and  fired 
several  times,  the  bullets  dropped  far  short  of  the  game. 
This  was  mysterious  until  I  examined  one  of  the  re- 
maining cartridges,  and  found  that  the  firm  from  whom 
I  obtained  the  ammunition  had  cruelly  made  up  about 
half  the  order  with  stale  stock,  practically  worthless, 
the  firing-pin  breaking  through  the  rotten  caps  at  every 
shot.  '  The  powder  was  decomposed  and  clogged  in 
the  shell,  and  the  brass  green  with  corrosion.  Disap- 
pointed, we  turned  back,  and  got  to  the  ombala  just  as 
it  was  getting  dark.  I  found  a  large  pig  tied  up  by  my 
tent,  and  the  chief  with  his  suite  squatted  round,  wait- 
ing my  return,  to  proceed  with  the  palaver  and  presen- 
tation, which  was  duly  performed  with  all  the  honors — 
clapping  of  hands  and  speeches. 

The  pig  did  not  live  long ;  a  portion  of  the  pork  was 
reserved,  and  the  balance  given  to  the  headman  for  dis- 
tribution. The  pig  business  over,  and  while  dinner  was 
preparing,  I  entertained  the  villagers  by  exhibiting  my 
curios.  I  produced  the  cornet  and  began  to  play  "  'Way 
down  upon  the  Swanee  River " ;  but  there  was  such  a 
rush  for  the  "  boxes  "  and  "  front  seats,"  that  a  free  fight 
was  imminent.  I  feared  the  tent  might  come  to  grief, 
for  already  several  had  been  sent  sprawling  by  tripping 
on  the  ropes,  so  I  was  obliged  to  play  the  national 
anthem  and  bring  the  concert  to  a  close.  But  more 
hearty  shouts  of  applause,  ringing  laughter,  and  ex- 
pressions of  simple  delight  I  have  never  heard ;  and  I 
feel  happy  that  in  spite  of  my  weariness  I  may  have 
been  able  to  inspire  these  people  with  a  measure  of 


92 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


confidence  toward  white  men,  for  their  experience  of 
Europeans,  being  confined  to  half-breed  Portuguese 
hitherto,  has  had  the  very  opposite  effect. 

About  eight  o'clock  one  of  the  old  men  of  the  village 
came  out  to  where  the  loads  were  piled  up,  and  in  a 
loud  voice  proclaimed  that  the  "  ocindele  "  (white  man) 
was  the  guest  and  friend  of  the  chief ;  and  should  any 
one  dare  to  disturb  the  stranger,  his  loads  or  people, 
the  transgressor  would  feel  the  full  force  of  Cipopa's 
wrath. 

Next  morning,  by  daylight,  the  chief  came  to  see  us 
off,  and  begged  me  to  intercede  in  behalf  of  his  son, 
who  had  been  captured  by  the  king  of  a  country  that 
lies  in  our  route.  I  promised  to  hear  tlxe  case  and  do 
what  I  could  to  have  his  boy  set  at  liberty.  With 
many  adieux  we  parted,  firmly  convinced  that,  so  far 
as  we  can  judge  from  what  we  see  during  the  brief 
periods  of  our  sojourn  among  these  Ganguellians,  no 
more  inviting  or  more  needy  fields  exist  anywhere. 
The  degrading  effects  of  contact  with  the  half-caste 
traders  have  not  been  felt  here  as  in  Bihe ;  nor  do  they 
travel  as  the  Biheans  do,  hence  are  still  comparatively 
free  from  the  vices  of  the  coast.  The  prospect  is  all 
the  more  promising  in  that  Ganguella  is  composed  of 
detached  confederations  under  the  jurisdiction  of  petty 
rulers,  allowing  more  independence  to  the  people ;  also, 
perhaps,  because  of  the  weakness  of  these  small  com- 
munities, war  and  bloodshed  is  less  frequent  than 
under  the  government  of  autocratic  chiefs,  who  main- 
tain their  claims  over  immense  territory  by  sheer  force 
of  arms,  and  gratify  their  pride  of  savage  power  by  a 
reign  of  terror  and  cruelty. 


NAMBY-PAMBY.  93 

In  no  country  on  the  continent  where  such  poten- 
tates wield  their  baneful  sway  has  mission  work  made 
the  slightest  headway — not  even,  in  some  instances, 
where  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  spent  in  unre- 
mitting effort  by  missionaries  resident  among  them; 
while  in  communities  where  liberty  of  conscience  is 
allowed,  genuine  conversions  have  taken  place  within  a 
few  years  of  commencement  of  the  mission.  Whole- 
sale conversions  in  totally  new  fields  have  been  re- 
ported witliin  a  few  months,  but  investigation  has 
generally  revealed  the  fact  that  a  chief  or  some  individ- 
ual in  authority  has  taken  the  initiative  in  outwardly 
acquiescing  with  the  white  man's  teachings,  when  their 
people  necessarily  follow  suit.  But  a  profession  of 
Christianity  under  such  circumstances  by  no  means 
warrants  their  being  called  converts. 

Not  every  one,  however,  who  may  choose  to  volunteer 
for  such  a  work  need  expect  to  succeed.  If  his  labors 
have  been  unsuccessful  at  home  they  will  be  more  so 
here,  where  the  hindrances  to  be  overcome  are  infinitely 
greater.  A  special  fitness  or  adaptability  is  required 
of  the  man  who  would  be  a  pioneer  of  missions  in 
Africa;  he  must  possess  indomitable  zeal,  strong,  un- 
wavering faith,  good  education,  sound  judgment,  prac- 
tical common  sense,  ready  wit,  and  tact  in  dealing  with 
the  natives — in  a  word,  every  inch  a  man."  We  have 
already  met  too  many  namby-pamby,  useless  volun- 
teers posing  as  missionaries  in  this  country;  wasting 
time  and  money,  accomplishing  nothing,  mentally  and 
physically  incapacitated  for  grappling  with  the  innu- 
merable difficulties  which  present  themselves  at  every 
turn,  in  the  shape  of  superstition,  profound  ignorance, 


94 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


and  yet  unlimited  conceit  in  the  superiority  of  their 
religious  beliefs  over  that  of  their  teacher. 

We  cannot  see  eye  to  eye  with  those  who  advocate 
the  sending  out  of  young  unmarried  ladies  to  Central 
Africa,  except  to  well-established  stations,  their  posi- 
tion being  so  misunderstood  by  the  natives.  India  and 
China  offer  ready  spheres  for  lady  missionaries,  married 
or  otherwise,  where  the  women  already  civilized  can 
and  do  appreciate  their  coming.  Mrs.  Searle,  who  has 
had  experience  at  Benguela,  gives  it  as  her  opinion 
that  the  white  women  can  render  most  efficient  aid  in 
the  kitchen,  and  says:  "If  a  girl  can't  or  won't  cook, 
she  won't  do  for  Africa,  however  good  a  linguist  or 
theologian  she  may  be."  In  no  case  have  we  seen 
native  women  as  house-servants  in  Central  African 
missionary  homes;  not  even  where  these  have  been 
established  twelve  or  fourteen  years.  The  work  of  the 
culinary  department  is  deputed  to  boys,  as  no  native 
woman  wiU  submit  to  a  domestic  training.  They  con- 
sider themselves  wronged  and  robbed  of  their  rights  as 
women  if  taken  from  field  work. 

The  digestion  is  so  often  disordered,  the  system  weak- 
ened, and  the  appetite  rendered  uncertain  by  fever, 
that  we  might  almost  say  the  life — certainly  the  health 
and  consequent  usefulness — of  the  missionary  depends 
in  a  great  measure  on  the  quality  and  preparation  of 
his  meals ;  and  surely  this  is  a  department  that  can 
most  properly  be  superintended  by  the  missionary's 
wife.  Then,  it  may  be  asked,  Is  there  not  a  wide  field 
of  usefulness  open  to  single  ladies  as  trained  nurses? 
To  this  we  would  reply  that  many  trained  nurses  go 
out,  to  find  that  all  the  ideas  they  had  formed  on  the 


TRAINED  NURSES. 


95 


subject  of  nursing  were  based  on  the  supposition  that 
the  home-life  of  the  native  African  bore  some  resem- 
blance to  that  of  the  poorer  classes  at  home.  They 
soon  discover,  however,  that  the  domestic  arrange- 
ments of  the  native  hut  offer  no  facilities  for  the 
services  of  a  trained  nurse.  Thus  years  spent  in  a 
hospital,  mechanically  obeying  and  carrying  out  the 
doctor's  directions  concerning  the  patients,  is  so  much 
time  wasted  when  Central  Africa  is  to  be  the  goal  for 
future  service ;  for,  although  skill  in  dressing,  bandag- 
ing, etc.,  is  acquired,  a  far  more  effectual  preparation 
for  usefulness  would  be  obtained  by  attending  for  a  few 
months  the  out-patient  consulting-room  of  a  city  physi- 
cian. There,  practical,  if  elementary,  information  would 
be  gained  on  the  diagnosis  of  ordinary  diseases  and 
their  treatment,  so  as  to  intelligently  apply  the  simple 
remedies  the  medicine-chest  contains  to  the  relief  of 
suffering  natives,  who,  as  a  rule,  either  come  or  are 
carried  to  the  mission  station.  Xor  would  this  simple 
course  be  beyond  the  reach  of  the  missionary's  fiance. 
Opportunities  for  dressing  a  wound  or  putting  a  few 
stitches  in  a  cut  will  occur,  such  as  may  be  better  done 
by  the  deft  and  gentle  fingers  of  a  woman ;  but  is  there 
anything  in  such  emergencies  that  the  missionary's 
wife,  if  she  be  worthy  of  the  name,  would  not  be  able 
to  meet! 

By  11  A.M.  we  arrived  at  Okambokoakwengi.  A 
number  of  headmen  from  the  ombala  came  around 
our  camp,  but  squatted  at  some  distance ;  evidently  a 
reconnoitering  party,  and,  as  I  afterward  learned,  sent 
by  the  king  to  see  if  I  looked  dangerous,  before  he 
should  venture  on  a  visit.    Their  report  must  have 


96 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


been  favorable,  for  in  the  afternoon  Cipi  himself  put 
in  an  appearance,  his  face  and  body  streaked  all  over 
with  the  fetich  white  clay,  as  a  protection  against  the 
evil  spells  he  feared  might  possess  him  in  our  camp. 
My  pombieros  could  not  coax  him  to  come  nearer  than 
twenty  yards  of  where  I  was  seated ;  and  having  occa- 
sion to  rise  from  my  chair,  he  jumped  up,  dropped  his 
blanket,  and  would  have  escaped,  but  that  the  crowd 
around  him  was  too  dense.  He  kept  looking  about  in 
the  most  uneasy  and  suspicious  manner,  as  if  dreading 
some  impending  danger.  Meanwhile,  his  spokesman 
was  reciting  an  address,  at  the  close  of  which  a  fine 
goat  and  a  basket  of  meal  were  produced  for  my  ac- 
ceptance. Sanambello  replied  for  me,  saying  that  I 
was  pleased  with  the  gift  and  would  visit  the  chief  in 
the  evening  at  his  village.  At  this  Cipi  joined  his 
people  in  a  great  hand-clapping,  with  shouts  of  "  ewa, 
ewa"  ("yes,  yes");  and  forthwith  about  a  hundred 
and  fifty  of  his  soldiers  executed  a  war-dance  for  my 
special  benefit,  and  before  we  parted  Cipi  and  I  were 
the  best  of  friends. 

We  are  now  in  the  Ganguella  country,  and  have 
been  ever  since  crossing  the  Kukema.  Here  we  have 
an  entirely  new  language  and  different  class  of  natives, 
far  finer  specimens  of  humanity  than  the  Biheans,  so 
far  as  physique  is  concerned;  particularly  the  men, 
who  are,  as  a  rule,  fine  stalwart  fellows,  and  in  point 
of  physiognomy  would  compare  favorably  with  the 
negroes  of  either  the  United  States  or  the  West  Indies. 
As  they  are  too  independent  a  people  to  engage  as 
carriers,  and  seldom  cross  the  Kukema  on  the  west  or 
the  Kwanza  on  the  east,  their  supply  of  cloth  is  very. 


CANGUELLIANS. 


97 


very  scanty,  their  clothing  being  confined  to  a  bit  of 
leopard  or  antelope  skin.  Few  amulets,  anklets,  or 
other  adornments  are  worn,  but  their  heads  display  the 
prevailing  fashion;  and  there  the  skill  of  the  native 
tonsorial  artist  is  exhibited. 

So  intricate  and  fanciful  are  some  of  the  patterns 
that  they  must  be  seen  to  really  understand  what  they 
are  like.  In  some  cases  the  decorations  are  all  on  one 
side  of  the  head,  where  the  hair  is  allowed  to  grow  long 
for  the  'barber's  manipulations ;  the  other  side  is  shaved. 
Others  have  the  hair  cut  off  both  sides  of  the  head, 
leaving  a  ridge  of  long  hair  on  the  top,  running  from 
the  forehead  to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  the  effect  pro- 
duced suggesting  a  fireman's  helmet.  But  there  are 
dudes  who  spend  an  hour  or  two  every  day  in  the 
hands  of  the  hairdresser,  and  affect  something  more 
elaborate  still :  he  may  have  isolated  tufts  of  long  hair, 
like  the  headgear  of  the  clown  in  a  pantomime;  but 
the  main  part  of  the  scalp  is  shorn  close,  and  then 
with  a  sharp  knife  geometrical  figures,  squares,  cres- 
cents, and  diamonds  are  scraped  out,  like  the  plan  of 
a  flower-garden.  The  head-arrangements  of  the  women 
are  not  a  whit  behind  the  men  in  grotesqueness  of  style 
or  design ;  but  they  spend  less  time  over  it,  one  great 
dressing  sufficing  for  months,  and  even  years:  plaits 
with  three  or  four  white  or  red  beads  strung  on  the 
end  of  each;  rolls,  horns,  screws  large  and  small,  ac- 
cording to  taste,  with  cowry  shells  woven  in,  as  fancy 
may  suggest.  For  example,  see  the  woman  sitting  in 
the  center  of  the  "Grroup  of  Ganguellians "  (from  a 
snap  shot  at  my  tentdoor). 

The  Ganguellians  seem  to  iiave  less  faith  in  charms 


98 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


than  the  natives  farther  west,  for  I  have  noticed  very 
few  of  them  worn,  as  is  customary  among  the  Um- 
bnndu.  Almost  every  one  of  my  carriers  and  head- 
men have  their  favorite  charm  suspended  by  a  string 
around  the  neck  or  waist,  in  the  form  of  sundry  bits 
of  wood,  points  of  horns,  shells,  or  an  assortment  of 
such  knick-knacks  as  have  passed  through  the  hands 
of  the  fetich-doctor,  with  the  assurance  that  they  will 
ward  off  every  ill  that  might  otherwise  befall  them. 
Others  pin  their  faith  to  a  collection  of  rubbish  tied 
up  in  a  dirty  little  bag.  All  come  under  the  name  of 
"  Ombanda  " — patent  medicine,  a  panacea  for  every  ill ; 
so  that  in  this  respect  they  quite  equal  some  of  their 
more  civilized,  though  little  less  gullible,  white  brethren. 

Sanambello  carries  an  eland  horn  filled  with  a  vari- 
ety of  trash,  each  article  supposed  to  have  its  own  spe- 
cial virtue.  This  he  carefully  sticks  in  the  ground  near 
his  hut  on  reaching  camp ;  and  it  is  not  removed,  nor 
is  any  one  allowed  to  touch  it,  until  the  flag  moves  on 
again.  Only  on  such  a  journey  as  this  with  the  Bihean 
can  one  fully  know  how  almost  their  every  action  is 
governed  by  their  belief  in  Kundundu.  When  twitted 
about  it  they  only  laugh  and  say,  "Ah  no,  we  don't 
expect  you  to  believe  in  this;  it  is  something  beyond 
the  intellect  of  a  white  man." 

Another  march  of  thirteen  miles  brought  us  to  the 
Kwanza  Eiver.  Nothing  remarkable  by  the  way;  in 
fact,  so  far  as  each  day's  journey  is  concerned,  it  is 
only  the  monotonous  tramp,  tramp,  over  a  rolhng 
country,  with  an  occasional  lift  in  the  tipoia  when 
tired  or  feverish,  and  when  there  are  men  to  spare. 
Now  an  open  plain ;  then  a  small  forest ;  anon  a  riv- 


IRON-SMELTING. 


99 


ulet ;  rarely  a  river ;  no  plants  or  trees  that  by  their 
appearance  would  suggest  our  being  in  the  tropics ;  no 
fruit  of  any  kind  except  a  nauseous  sort  of  wild  berry. 
Near  the  villages  small  plots  of  corn  and  manioc  are 
cultivated ;  but  the  soil  in  Granguella,  between  the  Ku- 
kema  and  Kwanza,  is  by  a  long  way  the  richest  soil 
we  have  come  across.  With  proper  attention  good 
crops  of  cereals  and  vegetables  as  yet  unknown  to 
the  natives  could  be  raised. 

This  district  is  noted  for  the  excellence  of  its  iron. 
During  the  coldest  months  of  the  year  the  miners  and 
blacksmiths  turn  out  and  camp  near  the  pits,  working 
night  and  day  until  they  have  manufactured  a  supply 
of  hoes,  spear  and  arrow  heads,  axes,  hatchets,  knives, 
snuff-spoons,  etc.,  sufficient  to  meet  the  demand.  I 
examined  several  holes  from  which  ore  had  been  dug. 
They  were  about  ten  feet  in  diameter  and  eight  feet 
deep.  Close  by  were  the  small  sheds,  with  broken  clay 
furnaces  and  crucibles  scattered  around  among  the  coke 
and  slag,  where  the  ore  had  been  smelted  and  the  metal 
transformed  into  implements  of  labor  or  weapons  of 
war.  The  bellows  or  blast  employed  is  a  simple  con- 
trivance, but  it  serves  the  purpose.  Those  I  have  seen 
consist  of  two  hollowed-out  disks  of  wood,  ten  inches 
in  diameter,  resembling  a  large  wooden  ladle,  with  a 
tubular  cylindrical  handle  a  foot  long ;  round  the  edge 
of  the  disks  goatskins  are  bound  with  rawhide,  forming 
a  sack  about  fifteen  inches  long;  this  is  gathered  at 
the  top  and  tied  tightly  round  sticks,  that  serve  as 
handles.  The  two  wooden  tubes  are  made  to  converge 
into  a  clay  muzzle,  which  is  connected  with  the  fire ; 
and  by  the  alternate  and  rapid  movement  of  the  sticks 


100 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


a  strong  current  of  air  is  produced.  The  metal  is  said 
to  be  tempered  by  means  of  ox  grease  and  salt. 

We  camped  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  near  Kongovia, 
the  capital.  In  two  hours  the  thirty  huts  required  for 
the  accommodation  of  my  people  for  the  night  were 
built,  there  being  an  abundance  of  long  grass.  In  the 
afternoon  we  had  a  similar  experience  to  that  of  yes- 
terday, the  chief  Liwika  coming  up  with  a  large  retinue 
of  men,  all  unarmed,  however,  but  approaching  very 
warily,  as  if  in  doubt  as  to  what  the  nature  of  their 
reception  would  be.  A  pig,  three  large  calabashes  of 
beer,  that  made  the  eyes  of  my  men  twinkle,  and  a 
basket  of  meal  were  the  gifts  he  brought.  The  pala- 
ver and  speech-making  lasted  an  hour  and  a  half,  and 
by  this  time  we  had  made  such  an  impression  on  the 
old  man  that  he  ordered  the  pig  to  be  taken  away,  con- 
sidering that  I  deserved  nothing  smaller  than  an  ox, 
which  would  be  sent  to-morrow,  the  herd  being  away 
in  the  forest.  I  demurred  about  accepting  so  large  a 
present,  and  expressed  doubt  as  to  whether  I  should 
be  able  to  make  him  an  adequate  return ;  but  he  gave 
me  a  receipt  in  full,  in  the  presence  of  all,  native  fash- 
ion. Taking  a  piece  of  stick  the  length  of  an  ordinary 
penholder,  he  broke  it  in  two  pieces,  throwing  one 
over  each  shoulder. 

Next  morning  Liwika  called  round  to  say  that  he 
was  off  with  his  men  to  fetch  the  animal ;  but  as  big 
thunder-clouds  had  gathered,  would  I  be  so  good  as  to 
keep  off  the  rain  until  he  returned  ?  Not  comprehend- 
ing his  meaning,  I  turned  to  Sanambello,  who  assured 
him  the  matter  should  have  my  immediate  attention ; 


THE  KIVANZA  RIVER. 


101 


and  away  they  went.  When  the  request  of  the  chief  was 
exphiined  to  me  I  wished  it  would  rain  so  that  Liwika 
might  learn  that  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  even  white 
men  to  control  the  elements;  but  the  storm  which 
threatened  all  day  did  not  break  until  after  the  ox  was 
brought  home  and  the  chief  safely  housed  in  the  om- 
bala;  so  I  suppose  he  felt  himself  under  extra  obliga- 
tion to  me  for  having  kept  off  the  rain,  as,  in  addition 
to  the  ox,  he  sent  a  large  goat. 

October  7th.  Liwika's  kindness  has  unfortunately 
been  the  means  of  delaying  us  three  whole  days,  for 
what  with  libations  of  beer  and  abundance  of  meat  for 
my  men,  threats  and  coaxing  were  alike  unavailing  in 
getting  them  to  move;  but  by  six  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing we  were  all  at  the  river-side  ready  to  be  ferried 
across.  The  Kwanza  is  about  ninety  yards  wide  here, 
and  fourteen  feet  deep  in  the  center.  It  flows  at  the 
rate  of  three  miles  an  hour  in  a  northwest  direction 
toward  its  destination,  near  Loanda.  There  were  five 
dug-out  canoes  placed  at  our  ser\dce  by  the  chief,  and 
manned  by  his  own  men.  They  seem  to  have  no  idea 
of  a  paddle  with  a  broad  end,  but  laboriously  propel 
their  craft  with  a  long  round  pole,  using  each  end  alter- 
nately to  the  right  and  left.  I  went  over  first,  and  was 
amused  watching  the  carriers  with  their  loads  being 
brought  across.  Many  of  them  venturing  on  a  big  river 
for  the  first  time,  they  did  not  dare  to  look  up,  but  lay 
down  flat  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe,  hiding  their  faces 
in  their  hands.  The  older  men  sat  up  and  gravely 
looked  around,  for  they  knew  a  trick  which  was  a  cer- 
tain preventive,  in  their  opinion,  against  any  calamity 


102 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


befalling  them  while  on  the  river.  This  was  to  take  a 
bunch  of  grass  between  their  teeth  and  keep  their 
mouths  firmly  closed  until  they  reached  the  land. 

I  observed  fishermen  busy  at  work  with  nets  and 
lines  catching  some  good-sized  fish,  which  they  killed 
by  biting  them  on  the  back  at  the  junction  of  the  body 
with  the  head,  their  teeth  being  well  adapted  for  the 
purpose,  as  they  have  both  the  upper  and"  lower  inci- 
sors filed  to  a  V  shape  and  fitting  between  each  other 
like  the  teeth  of  a  rat-trap.  The  hooks  they  use  are 
not  barbed,  but  are  merely  bits  of  strong  wire  bent 
and  x>ointed;  so  they  have  to  depend  for  success  in 
landing  the  fish  on  the  dexterity  with  which  they  can 
tighten  the  line  when  they  feel  a  nibble  at  the  bait. 

In  two  hours  and  a  half  we  reached  Mowanda,  the 
chief  of  which  is  named  Likalula.  I  went  to  see  his 
highness,  but  on  entering  the  village  learned  that  he 
had  been  told  some  days  ago  that  a  caravan  with  a 
white  man  was  approaching,  and  he  had  fled.  It  is 
hard  to  divine  the  cause  of  the  mortal  dread  these  Gran- 
guellians  entertain  of  white  men ;  their  ideas  can  only 
be  formed  from  stories  they  have  heard,  or  their  inter- 
course with  liaK-breed  Portuguese,  for  I  am  not  aware 
of  any  European  having  gone  into  the  interior  through 
this  route — certainly  no  Britisher  or  American. 

Suspecting  that  he  might  not  be  far  away,  I  told  the 
natives  who  were  sitting  round  that  I  wished  the  chief 
no  harm,  but  had  called  in  passing  to  salute  him  and 
make  his  acquaintance,  and  intended  waiting  there 
until  he  turned  up. 

This  appears  to  be  the  private  inclosure  of  the  chief, 
and  the  dozen  particularly  neat  and  tidy  huts  are  for 


A  CARVED  STOCKADE. 


103 


the  accommodation  of  his  harem,  the  occupants  of 
which  are  conspicuous  by  their  absence,  having  one 
and  all  escaped  with  their  lord.  A  great  deal  of  time 
and  labor  has  been  spent  in  cutting  and  carving  in  a 
variety  of  designs  each  separate  pole  composing  the 
high  stockade,  until  they  look  like  three  hundred  yards 
of  old-fashioned  turned  bedposts.  But  a  former  chief, 
I  understand,  must  get  the  credit  of  these  pleasing  feat- 
ures of  the  ombala,  as  this  man  is  a  feeble-minded, 
cowardly,  and  superstitious  fellow,  who  never  misses 
an  opportunity  of  enriching  himself  by  plundering 
those  who  are  too  weak  to  resist  him. 

In  about  an  hour  Likalula's  men  produced  him,  lit- 
erally covered  from  head  to  foot  with  white  clay.  Our 
interview  was  short,  as  he  was  trembling  with  fear.  I 
made  him  a  present  of  cloth  and  invited  him  to  visit 
the  camp.  We  must  remain  in  this  district  for  two  or 
three  days  to  pound  corn,  as  for  the  next  eight  or  ten 
marches  there  will  be  no  meal  to  be  had.  Next  day 
the  chief  came  to  us  with  a  great  deal  of  pomp,  but  we 
did  not  take  to  him,  nor  did  his  people  seem  to  show 
him  the  usual  respect.  A  vest-pocket  would  hold  all 
the  habiliments  he  wore.  With  an  air  of  generosity  he 
told  me  that  for  one  of  my  repeating  rifles  he  would 
give  a  big  goat.  Little  did  he  know  that  not  for  fifty 
of  his  big  goats  would  we  have  parted  with  a  rifle  in 
the  vicinity  of  such  men  as  Likalula;  at  the  mere 
suggestion  we  laughed  so  heartily  that  he  quitted  our 
company. 

About  noon  a  strange  phenomenon  appeared.  The 
mercury  stood  at  100^  F.  in  the  shade,  a  strong  wind 
arose,  and  darkness  came  on  as  from  an  eclipse  of  the 


104 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


sun ;  when  suddenly  a  sliower  of  hail-stones,  each  as 
large  as  a  marble,  began  to  fall,  and  continued  for  fif- 
teen minutes,  until  the  ground  was  well  covered. 
Some  of  the  carriers  happened  to  be  returning  from 
the  villages,  and  fairly  yelled  as  the  hail  peppered  their 
naked  bodies ;  but  they  did  not  seem  much  surprised, 
so  I  concluded  that  it  was  no  rare  occurrence  here. 

The  road  before  us  must  be  a  very  hungry  one, 
judging  from  the  quantity  of  meal  and  small  dried  fish 
being  tied  up.  By  the  evening  of  the  18th  the  men 
had  finished  their  preparations,  and  seemed  so  satisfied 
with  themselves  that  speech-making,  song-singing  (if 
the  dreadful  braying  and  unmelodious  recitations  could 
be  called  such),  and  general  hilarity  continued  round 
the  camp-fire  far  into  the  night. 

October  11th.  We  got  a  good  start  this  morning  by 
daybreak.  Our  path  lay  mostly  through  forest.  We 
crossed  on  an  improvised  bridge  the  river  Varia,  about 
forty  feet  wide,  flowing  to  the  northwest  to  join  the 
Kwanza ;  and  twenty-three  hours  later  another  stream, 
the  Hondo,  not  quite  so  large,  but  flowing  in  the  same 
direction.  We  passed  only  one  village  on  the  way — a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles.  My  heels  are  badly  blistered ; 
this  is  unfortunate,  as  there  will  be  no  more  delays 
probably  for  a  week  or  two,  so  that  they  will  have  no 
rest,  and  several  of  the  carriers  having  fever,  there  are 
none  to  spare  for  the  tipoia.  I  must  make  the  best  of 
it  by  bandaging,  and  cutting  out  pieces  of  my  shoes, 
being  only  too  glad  to  be  going  forward.  We  halted 
for  the  night  at  Kawangu.  At  present  there  is  no  chief, 
the  last  having  died  about  a  month  ago.  We  saw  his 
hat,  calabashes,  and  pots  piled  on  the  grave,  with  all 


IN  THE  WILDERNESS. 


105 


the  remains  of  his  hut  forming  a  heap  near  by,  every 
care  being  taken  to  see  that  none  of  his  belongings 
were  left  inside  the  ombala,  thus  removing,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  necessity  for  nocturnal  visits  of  his  spirit 
to  claim  them. 

October  16th.  For  the  last  five  days  we  have  not 
seen  a  single  village  or  native  hut,  every  day  toiling 
through  deep  white  sand,  across  plains  with  scarcely 
a  weed,  far  less  grass,  to  shade  the  fiery  path,  the  hot 
sand  blistering  our  feet  until  we  could  scarcely  limp 
into  camp.  For  two  days  we  had  the  Hondo  in  sight 
on  our  right.  Traveling  east-southeast,  we  crossed  a 
small  stream  called  the  Quitu  on  the  14th.  We  have 
seen  none  of  the  large  ant-hills  since  crossing  the 
Kwanza. 

We  got  on  the  path  to-day  by  6  a.m.  The  morning 
was  cloudy  and  cool ;  but  oh,  the  sand !  It  seems  to 
get  deeper  and  stiffer  every  day.  Not  a  sign  of  life; 
the  country  through  which  we  are  passing  is  the  most 
desert-like  we  have  seen  yet,  and  that  means  desola- 
tion indeed.  Sand,  sand,  sand  everywhere,  with  a  few 
patches  of  shrubs  here  and  there,  but  rarely  a  root  of 
grass.  We  crossed  a  small  brook,  the  Mongovie,  which 
flows  south  to  join  the  Quitu,  and  camped  at  Kam- 
bimbia.  We  were  surprised  in  the  evening  by  the  ap- 
pearance in  camp  of  a  man  accompanied  by  two  boys 
bringing  baskets  of  a  manioc  meal,  which  is  the  only 
product  of  the  soil  in  these  parts,  and  a  large  gourd  of 
beer  or  mead  made  from  wild  honey.  He  turned  out 
to  be  the  chief  of  this  wilderness,  and  his  is  the  only 
village  for  many  miles  around.  He  was  made  happy 
with  four  yards  of  calico. 


106 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


October  17th.  Eain  detained  us  in  camp  until  7  a.m. 
Soon  after  starting  we  entered  a  forest,  and  began  the 
assent  of  a  hill  called  the  Coia.  At  the  summit  the 
boiling-point  thermometer  and  aneroid  registered  an 
altitude  of  five  thousand  feet,  or  about  eight  hundred 
feet  above  the  surrounding  country.  For  about  ten 
miles  we  followed  the  ridge  of  the  hill,  which  stretches 
northward  in  a  great  plateau,  and  southward  sloping 
abruptly  down  to  an  immense  and  densely  wooded 
valley,  forming  an  unbroken  expanse  of  foliage  as  far  as 
the  eye  can  reach.  The  trees  are  tall,  but  few  of  them 
exceed  eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  Eubber  and  wild 
honey  are  found  plentifully  all  through  this  district. 

The  gathering  of  honey  is  not  the  work  of  bees  only, 
as  every  camp  is  infested  with  a  small  fly,  about  half 
the  size  of  the  ordinary  house-fly ;  these  are  most  as- 
siduous in  collecting  and  storing  a  honey  whiter  and 
sweeter  than  that  of  the  bee.  They  find  their  way  into 
the  hollow  trunks  of  timber  where  bees  cannot  enter, 
having  access  through  holes  made  by  the  boring- worm. 
Our  daily  meeting  with  the  honey-bird  served  to  remove 
any  skepticism  I  may  have  had  in  reference  to  this  cun- 
ning little  creature.  It  is  not  much  larger  than  a  ca- 
nary, and  as  soon  as  man  makes  his  appearance  hops 
from  branch  to  branch,  making  repeated  flights  toward 
the  traveler,  and  then  flying  off  in  the  dii^ection  in  which 
it  appears  to  wish  attention  attracted,  with  a  sustained 
chic-en,  chic-en,  chic-churr,  churr,  returning  again  and 
again,  until  its  importunity  is  rewarded  by  some  one 
accepting  its  invitation  to  follow  to  the  spot,  where  is 
stored  the — to  it — inaccessible  treasure.  It  makes  a 
great  fuss,  flying  round  and  round,  leaving  no  doubt 


PICTURESQUE  HUTS. 


107 


as  to  the  whereabouts  of  its  find.  Sometimes  there  is 
no  opening  to  be  seen,  when  the  native  proceeds  to  tap 
upon  the  trunk  with  the  head  of  his  hatchet,  until  he 
locates  the  hive.  He  then  obtains  the  honey  by  mak- 
ing a  fire  at  the  root  of  the  tree  (in  the  case  of  fly- 
honey  this  is,  of  course,  unnecessary),  and  under  cover 
of  the  smoke  with  his  hatchet  secures  the  prize.  Then 
is  revealed  the  reason  for  the  excitement  of  our  tiny 
guide,  who  now  comes  in  for  its  share  of  the  pickings. 
To  the  'taste,  bee  honey  is  harsh  in  flavor,  and  looks 
like  molasses. 

Eubber  has  to  be  dug  for  with  hoes,  only  a  small 
plant  showing  above  ground,  the  roots,  from  which 
alone  it  is  obtained,  running  along  for  many  yards, 
about  six  inches  below  the  surface,  varying  in  size 
from  a  quarter-inch  to  an  inch  and  a  half.  These 
roots  are  beaten  with  wooden  mallets  and  boiled  in 
water;  when  the  rubber  dissolves  out  it  is  collected 
and  formed  into  balls,  mixed  a  good  deal  with  the 
woody  fiber. 

We  were  happy  in  finding  a  suitable  camping-ground 
(the  small  village  of  Yowelutwi-Onjamba)  and  a  stream 
of  water  just  as  we  emerged  from  the  forest ;  and  we 
were  down  to  the  level  of  this  morning's  camp,  forty- 
two  hundred  feet.  The  sand  is  so  loose  and  deep,  and 
the  plain,  stretching  eastward,  so  void  of  vegetation, 
that  I  am  continually  imagining  myself  by  some  sea- 
beach.  The  huts  of  the  village  near  by  are  built  in  an 
entirely  different  style  to  any  we  have  seen  in  other 
parts  of  Ganguella.  They  cannot,  of  course,  use  mud, 
for  there  is  none  to  be  had,  and  stone  is  out  of  the 
question — we  have  not  seen  a  pebble  since  leaving 


108 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Bihe;  but  they  tie  up  small  bundles  of  grass  tightly, 
and  weave  them  together  in  a  perpendicular  position, 
like  a  basket,  to  form  the  walls.  The  roofs  are  also  of 
grass,  resembling  in  outline  the  shape  of  a  Chinaman's 
hat,  the  eaves  coming  down  to  within  four  feet  of  the 
ground.  The  mode  of  carrying  loads,  too,  is  not  seen 
among  the  tribes  west.  Take  water,  for  example :  in- 
stead of  the  gourd  being  poised  on  the  head,  it  is  placed 
in  a  large  basket  or  net  slung  on  the  back,  and  the 
weight  borne  by  a  band  of  plaited  bark-cloth  across 
the  forehead,  in  the  same  way  as  New  Haven  fishwives 
carry  their  creels.  The  practice  of  filing  the  teeth  to 
a  sharp  point  prevails  here,  as  all  through  Ganguella. 

We  purpose  resting  to-morrow,  to  give  the  lads  of 
the  caravan  a  chance  to  pick  up  a  bit,  the  feet  of  a 
good  many  being  played  out  from  the  burning  sand. 
Several  of  them  are  very  young,  and  are  the  slaves  of 
the  men  whose  meal  they  carry. 

October  18th,  Sunday.  In  camp  all  day ;  but  it  is  a 
question  with  me  whether  the  day  is  not  better  spent 
on  the  road  than  in  camp.  From  daylight  to  dark 
there  has  been  nothing  but  noise  and  carousal,  drink- 
ing fermented  honey  beer  to  excess.  When  we  travel 
on  Sunday  one's  mind  has  at  least  the  rest  and  quiet 
of  the  path,  and  at  the  end  of  the  march  the  men  are 
too  tired  for  revelry. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


FKOM  VOWELUTWI-ONJAMBA  TO  THE  HUNTER'S  PARADISE. 

Five  hundred  natives  in  our  camp. — Daily  menu. — Scarcity  of  food. — Herds 
of  buffalo. — The  ombanda-horn. — Soldier  ants. — Hostile  natives. — Peace 
by  stratagem. — A  magnanimous  promise. — In  j)i(ris  naturaUhus. — Cater- 
pillar stew. — Making  an  impression. — A  wholesome  awe. — Down  with 
fever. — Extemporized  mortars. — A  dark  outlook. — Carriers  on  strike. — 
A  complimentary  dance. — Rogues  all  of  them. — Nurse  and  cook  by  turns. 
— Swamp  villages. — Fail  to  control  the  elements. — Exorcising  the  spirits. 
— Struggles  in  the  marshes. — Sparsity  of  villages. — Game  in  abundance. 
— Charged  by  a  buffalo. — Has  the  Bihean  a  god? — Our  rain-make r. — 
Di\dners. — Medicine-men. — Meat  and  to  spare. — A  hunter's  paradise. 


CTOBER  19th.    We  had  started  about  half  an 


hour,  when  we  came  upon  three  native  caravans, 
bound  inland  for  rubber.  The  headmen  stated  that 
they  had  been  waiting  our  arrival  for  two  days,  and 
wished  to  travel  with  us,  as  there  were  more  rumors  of 
war  three  days  ahead ;  and  they  thought  it  would  be 
discreet  to  follow  in  the  white  man's  train,  which  now, 
including  these  natives,  numbers  five  hundred  persons. 
The  route  is  very  hilly ;  so  many  steep  ascents  to  climb 
compelled  us  to  make  the  march  short.  The  only  vil- 
lage we  have  seen  to-day  is  a  small  one  opposite  the 
camp,  Kambata.  The  chief,  with  a  dozen  of  his  men, 
gave  us  a  call  in  the  evening,  bringing  the  usual  gourd 
of  beer,  and  a  goat ;  the  latter  very  acceptable,  as  it  is 
now  over  a  week  since  we  have  tasted  meat.  Meal 


109 


110 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


and  tea  alone,  day  after  day,  with  hard  marches,  was 
beginning  to  tell  upon  me.  My  diet  these  days  is,  as 
a  rule,  exceedingly  simple.  On  getting  into  camp  at 
noon  I  have  some  water  boiled  and  poured  over  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  cocoa,  which,  with  a  couple  of  crackers, 
constitutes  my  lunch.  At  sundown  or  dinner-time  a 
dish  of  porridge  is  made,  part  of  which  I  eat  with  some 
wild  honey,  followed  by  a  cup  of  tea ;  and  the  balance, 
with  a  cup  of  coffee,  serves  for  breakfast  next  morning, 
before  getting  on  the  track.  Scarcity  of  men  com- 
pelled me  to  leave  a  good  deal  of  my  provisions  behind, 
and  we  miss  many  things,  such  as  condensed  milk,  and 
flour  for  bread. 

This  is  still  the  Granguella  country,  but  I  notice 
something  peculiar  to-day  in  the  appearance  of  the 
natives.  They  differ  from  any  we  have  seen  hitherto. 
The  language  is  the  same,  with  its  oft-repeated  Z]  but 
the  men  are  smaller,  and  most  of  them  have  beards 
three  to  six  inches  long,  high  foreheads,  thin  lips,  and 
wear  the  hair  long  all  round  the  head  in  fine  plaits, 
profusely  greased,  but  not  cut  or  carved,  as  is  the  gen- 
eral custom  among  the  Granguellians.  In  fact,  they 
resemble  very  closely  some  types  of  Hindoos.  I  was 
sorry  they  came  when  the  light  was  gone,  so  that  I 
could  not  get  a  photograph  of  them. 

Another  stiff  march  of  six  hours  brought  us  to  the 
Kwandu  district,  where  there  is  a  small  town.  Food  is 
getting  very  scarce ;  the  carriers  could  get  very  little 
meal  where  we  stopped  two  days  ago.  These  long 
marches  don't  pay,  as  we  have  to  rest  a  day,  several  of 
the  men  being  sick  and  footsore. 

In  the  forenoon  we  crossed  a  stream  called  the 


HERDS  OF  BUFFALO. 


Ill 


Kwangu,  flowing  swiftly  to  the  south,  only  four  yards 
wide  but  nearly  nine  feet  deep.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill 
where  we  are  camped  to-night  flows  the  Kwandu,  hav- 
ing its  rise  in  a  swamp  about  a  mile  to  the  west  of  us, 
and  deriving  its  name  from  the  district.  It  travels 
east-southeast  to  join  the  Chobe.  In  the  evening  I 
went  down  to  the  marsh  and  shot  a  brace  of  fine  fat 
ducks — a  great  treat.  Probably  we  are  getting  near 
the  game  country.  Although  there  are  only  three  or 
four  villages  in  the  whole  district,  it  boasts  of  two 
chiefs,  both  of  whom  came  to  visit  us,  and  each  brought 
a  goat  and  ovasangu "  (canary  seed)  meal,  the  only 
species  of  grain  the  soil  will  produce.  It  is  of  a  dark 
color,  and  tastes  a  little  like  rye.  One  chief  was  the 
happy  possessor  of  four  coats,  presents  from  passing 
traders ;  and  he  evidently  thought  it  the  proper  thing 
to  don  them  all  on  this  special  occasion,  while  six  of 
his  men  were  rigged  out  with  one  coat  among  the  lot, 
two  of  them  considering  one  sleeve  each,  if  properly 
adjusted,  quite  sufficient. 

October  24tli.  For  two  days  we  have  followed  the 
north  bank  of  the  Kwandu.  We  sighted  several  herds 
of  buffalo,  high,  shaggy-maned  brutes;  but  as  they 
also  sighted  us,  it  was  easy  for  them  to  keep  at  a  safe 
distance,  for  there  was  not  a  single  shrub  to  hide  us. 
They  scampered  away,  stopping  now  and  again  to  have 
a  look  at  us,  the  bull  always  keeping  a  bit  in  the  rear, 
between  the  cows  and  danger.  Yesterday  the  mercury 
reached  105°  F.  at  1  p.m.  in  my  tent ;  but  to-day  we 
have  been  chiefly  in  forest,  which,  though  hilly,  has 
afforded  us  a  welcome  shade.  About  8  a.m.  the  Kwandu 
took  a  turn  to  the  south-southeast,  while  we  kept  on 


112 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


east-southeast  and  came  upon  the  sponge  where  the 
Kwanclu  River  has  its  rise.  We  had  a  tough  struggle 
getting  through.  Some  of  the  men,  being  heavily 
laden,  sank  into  the  black,  foul-smelling  mud  up  to  the 
waist.  One  of  the  carriers  knocked  off  a  toe-nail,  and 
came  for  some  medicine  to  dress  it.  I  gave  him  a 
bandage  with  some  carbolic  ointment,  directing  him 
how  to  apply  it ;  but  before  he  proceeded  to  follow  my 
instructions,  he  produced  his  ombanda-horn,  stuck  the 
small  end  in  the  ground  near  him,  put  a  live  coal  in- 
side, which  from  some  stuff  the  horn  contained  sent  up 
a  dense  smoke,  and  while  it  was  ascending  he  made 
haste  to  fix  up  the  injured  toe.  When  it  gets  well  my 
treatment  will  come  in  for  a  very  small  share  of  the 
credit,  but  faith  in  his  fetich-horn  will  be  confirmed. 

October  26th.  We  were  unceremoniously  driven  out 
of  camp  this  morning,  long  before  daybreak,  by  an 
army  of  soldier  or  driver  ants.  They  swarmed  into 
every  hut  in  millions — no  mean  foe  to  the  naked  car- 
riers, and  from  which  there  is  no  escape  but  in  flight. 
The  enormous  mandibles  of  these  ferocious  warriors 
are  very  strong,  and  shaped  hke  reaping-hooks ;  when 
once  they  get  a  hold  there  is  no  let  go,  but,  doubling 
their  bodies  under  them  so  as  to  obtain  a  purchase, 
they  pull  with  all  their  might,  and  unless  killed  fetch 
the  bit  of  flesh  every  time.  We  see  them  frequently 
in  the  path  hurrying  along  in  close  phalanx,  flanked 
by  their  generals  and  officers  on  either  side,  attacking 
viciously  everything  animate  or  inanimate  that  comes 
in  their  way.  They  are  dreaded  and  given  a  wide 
berth  by  both  man  and  beast. 

Monsieur  Coillard,  who  has  had  special  facilities  for 


SOLDIER  ANTS.  113 

studying  their  habits  in  the  Barotse  Valley,  writes; 
"  One  sees  them  busy  in  innumerable  battalions,  ranked 
and  disciplined,  winding  along  like  a  broad  black  rib- 
bon of  watered  silk.  Whence  come  they !  Where  are 
they  going  ?  Nothing  can  stop  them,  nor  can  any  ob- 
ject change  their  route.  If  it  is  inanimate,  they  turn 
it  aside  ai^d  pass  on ;  if  it  is  living,  they  assail  it  ven- 
omously, crowding  one  on  top  of  the  other  to  the  at- 
tack, while  the  main  army  passes  on,  business-like  and 
silent.  Is  the  obstacle  a  trench  or  a  stream  of  water  1 
Then  they  form  themselves  at  its  edge  into  a  compact 
mass.  Is  this  a  deliberating  assembly  I  Probably,  for 
soon  the  mass  stirs  and  moves  on,  crosses  the  trench 
or  stream,  and  continues  in  its  incessant  and  myste- 
rious march.  A  multitude  of  these  soldiers  are  sacri- 
ficed for  the  common  good,  and  these  legions,  which 
know  not  what  it  is  to  be  beaten,  pass  over  the  corpses 
of  these,  victims  to  their  determination.  Woe  to  him 
who  puts  his  foot  on  that  black  ribbon !  He  has  not 
yet  seen  what  he  has  done,  when  thousands  of  these 
choleric  fighters  cover  him  from  head  to  foot  and  force 
their  tenailles  into  the  flesh.  It  is  enough  to  drive  one 
mad. 

"The  most  redoubtable  carnivora  can  do  nothing 
against  these  tiny  enemies.  They  bellow,  low,  and 
roar  when  attacked  by  them,  and  then  run  away.  Even 
the  *  lord  of  creation,'  who  destroys  and  annihilates  on 
sea  and  land  the  most  savage  cetaceans  and  mammi- 
fers,  is  quite  powerless  before  this  insect.  So  much  the 
worse  for  his  dignity ;  he  has  to  take  off  in  the  field  all 
his  clothes,  and  rub  himself  down  as  well  as  he  can. 
But  at  night  the  martyrdom  is  complete.    I  do  not  like 


114 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


to  think  of  a  person  down  with  fever  in  a  room  that 
these  ants  have  invaded.  To  coat  a  man  with  grease, 
tie  him  hand  and  foot,  and  throw  him  as  a  prey  to 
these  implacable  carnivora,  is  a  favorite  form  of  execu- 
tion resorted  to  by  the  Marotsi  when  they  desire  to 
specially  torture  their  victim." 

We  are  now  traveling  southeast  by  south,  the  Kwangu 
on  our  left,  with  its  marshy  banks  stretching  out  on 
either  side  for  over  a  hundred  yards.  Rain  fell  heavily 
yesterday,  making  the  road  a  little  cooler  and  the  sand 
firmer;  and  a  small  leafy  bush  covering  the  ground 
gives  the  face  of  the  country  a  slightly  improved  ap- 
pearance. We  met  a  party  of  natives,  several  of  whom 
had  received  spear  and  arrow  wounds  while  defending 
their  ivory  from  an  attack  made  by  the  tribe  among 
whom  we  intend  to  camp  to-night,  at  Cinjinji.  They 
warned  us  to  go  no  farther,  as  the  savages  were  gath- 
ered in  great  force  and  were  getting  ready  for  us ;  that 
our  little  band  would  only  be  a  mouthful  for  them ;  and 
so  on.  The  Biheans  were  terribly  scared,  but  we  pressed 
on,  and  by  noon  got  into  the  dreaded  camp,  so  lately 
vacated  by  the  unfortunate  native  traders. 

We  had  just  got  the  loads  stacked  when  a  crowd  of 
men  came  along  to  look  at  us.  They  are  the  first  we 
have  seen  in  five  days.  The  villages  are  not  in  sight, 
but  cannot  be  a  great  way  off.  These  men  are  of  the 
regular  Granguellian  type,  but  evidently  in  a  very  bad 
humor,  and,  being  elated  by  success  in  their  last  fight, 
seem  eager  for  another.  Taking  precaution  to  repair 
the  temporary  stockade  around  the  camp,  I  served  out 
cartridges,  gunpowder,  and  lead,  and  ordered  every  man 
who  carried  a  gun  to  have  it  by  him  in  case  of  an  attack. 


PEACE  BY  STRATAGEM. 


115 


Meantime,  the  natives  were  disappearing  in  twos  and 
threes  until  we  were  alone.  Now  we  feared  the  worst. 
"They  have  gone  for  their  weapons,"  said  Sanambello. 
His  surmise  was  correct,  for  in  less  than  an  hour  over 
two  hundred  men,  armed  with  bows  and  arrows,  spears 
and  hatchets,  came  dancing  inside  the  stockade  and 
halted  at  my  tent  door,  where  I  was  sitting  mending 
my  shoes.  Their  gesticulations  and  bawling  beggar 
description;  but  I  went  on  with  my  work,  until  sev- 
eral spears  came  so  uncomfortably  near  my  face  that  I 
jumped  up,  drew  my  revolver  (a  regulation  450),  while 
Sanambello  remarked,  "  Now  see  how  the  white  man's 
guns  shoot ! "  I  fired  several  shots  at  a  tree  a  few 
yards  off,  and  as  the  bullets  made  the  bark  fly  they 
were  silent  and  drew  back  a  little.  Then,  taking  a 
Winchester,  I  fired  half  a  dozen  rounds  as  quickly  as  I 
could  over  their  heads,  and  paused,  telling  Sanambello 
to  let  them  know  that  I  was  not  half  through  yet,  and 
that  they  should  have  the  remaining  shots  unless  they 
cleared  out  of  my  camp  forthwith-  The  words  were 
scarcely  uttered  before  they  made  otf,  tumbling  over 
one  another  in  their  haste  to  get  at  a  safe  distance  from 
such  infernal  machines.  My  men  fairly  yelled  and 
roared  with  laughter  when  the  bloodless  battle  was 
ended  and  the  warriors  had  fled. 

But  we  were  now  in  danger  of  a  night  attack ;  and 
to  try  and  avert  this  I  gave  Sanambello  a  handsome 
piece  of  figured  calico  and  a  jackknife  for  the  chief, 
with  the  message  that  I  would  spare  their  lives  and  do 
them  no  injury  provided  they  left  their  weapons  behind 
and  came  in  a  respectful  and  proper  manner  to  my 
camp  for  palaver.    These  conditions  of  peace  were 


116 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


accepted.  Quite  a  number  came  back,  and  with  them 
several  women  carrying  presents  of  rubber,  meal,  and 
fowls  from  the  chief,  who  thus  indicated  that  he  wished 
to  make  peace.  I  treated  them  to  a  lick  of  coarse  salt 
each,  which  they  seemed  greatly  to  relish. 

We  arrived  at  Kangamba  (altitude,  3750  feet),  rain 
falling  heavily  as  we  halfed.  As  it  did  not  begin  to 
fall  until  we  had  reached  the  camping-ground,  some  of 
the  carriers,  as  they  came  in  wet,  were  grumbling  be- 
cause I  had  kept  off  the  rain  until  under  shelter  myself, 
and  allowed  it  to  come  while  most  of  the  caravan  was 
still  on  the  track.  I  disputed  the  point  with  Sanam- 
bello,  but  he  simply  remarked  that  he  had  seen  me 
with  his  own  eyes  take  out  my  ombanda  (a  compass) 
on  the  road.  This  was  conclusive,  and  I  had  to  take 
the  blame.  Here,  also,  we  found  the  natives  in  a  very 
sulky  mood ;  but  as  they  had  come  off  second  best  in 
their  skirmish  with  the  native  caravan  already  referred 
to,  they  did  not  seem  so  keen  for  a  fight  as  the  Cinjinjis. 
"We  added  fresh  thorn-bush  to  the  skerm  and  put  sen- 
tries on  for  the  night  to  guard  against  a  surprise. 

There  seems  to  be  a  large  population  here;  crowds 
have  been  coming  and  going  all  the  afternoon.  Most 
of  them  were  all  but  nude,  particularly  the  women ;  an 
ordinary  trade  handkerchief  would  provide  all  the  garb 
they  seem  to  require  for  half  a  dozen.  As  a  rule,  both 
sexes  have  good  figures,  and  are  quite  up  to  the  average 
height,  although  the  lazy  life  of  the  men  is  not  condu- 
cive to  muscular  development.  They  are  expert  bas- 
ket-makers, and  we  saw  some  really  beautiful  specimens 
of  this  handicraft,  perfectly  water-tight,  the  smaller  sizes 
being  used  as  drinking-vessels.    The  trade  or  barter 


CATERPILLAR  STEIV. 


117 


goods  in  demand  here  are  iron  and  copper  wire  for 
anklets  and  armlets,  the  limbs  of  some  of  the  women 
being  loaded  with  them ;  red  white-eye  beads,  gunpow- 
der, salt,  and  tobacco,  the  latter  being  in  universal  use 
as  snuff  by  both  men  and  women,  e.very  one  wearing 
round  their  neck  a  fiat  iron  spatula,  with  which  they 
shovel  it  into  their  capacious  nostrils. 

The  carriers  are  short  of  meal  again.  I  cannot  un- 
derstand how  they  have  stowed  away  such  sackfuls  as 
they  were  provided  with  a  few  days  ago.  We  must 
stop  here  for  two  or  three  days  to  enable  them  to  refill. 
For  the  last  ten  days  the  employment  of  the  boj^s  of 
the  caravan  on  getting  into  camp  has  been  to  go  off 
into  the  woods  to  gather  a  sjDecies  of  large  black-and- 
yellow-colored  hairy  caterpillar,  generally  bringing  in  a 
dozen  or  more  basketfuls,  which  are  stewed  in  clay  pots, 
and  served  round  to  be  eaten  with  their  mush.  The 
insects  are  about  three  inches,  long,  and,  as  may  be 
imagined,  make  a  repulsive-looking  dish ;  but  this  is 
the  tasty  bit  of  the  native  repast,  and  is  to  them  what 
pate  de  foie  gras  is  to  a  modern  epicure.  The  carriers 
at  mealtime  sit  round  in  groups,  their  dish  in  the  center 
heaped  with  a  sodden  stiff  paste  of  scalded  meal.  Each 
man  helps  himself  with  his  fingers,  kneads  each  kimp 
into  the  form  of  a  cone,  and  dips  it  into  the  savory  stew 
before  passing  it  to  his  mouth.  They  seldom  have 
more  than  one  meal  a  day,  but  I  could  not  venture  to 
state  how  many  pounds  of  this  mush  they  will  put  out 
of  sight  at  their  evening  sitting ;  after  which  the  fires 
are  stirred,  fresh  fuel  added,  pipes  and  snuff-boxes  are 
in  requisition,  and  they  settle  down  to  entertain  one 
another  by  relating  tales  of  ''love  and  war." 


118 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Smoking  assumes  many  forms  in  Africa.  A  few- 
carry  their  own  individual  pipe,  but  usually  tliere  is 
but  one  among  a  dozen  or  more  men,  each  tribe  having 
its  own  peculiar  style  of  family  hookah.  Some,  like 
the  bushmen,  make  a  new  pipe  every  time  they  want 
a  smoke,  by  twisting  up  a  leaf  into  a  cone  and  fill- 
ing it  with  crushed  tobacco,  which  they  light  with  a 
fire  coal,  and  apply  the  mouth  to  the  small  end,  passing 
it  to  their  neighbor  after  two  or  three  whiffs.  Others 
mix  a  little  earth  with  saliva  and  mold  it  into  a  bowl, 
making  an  opening  at  one  side  with  a  straw;  then, 
drying  it  by  the  fire  and  passing  a  long  hollow  reed 
through  the  orifice,  they  load  up  and  proceed  with 
their  inhalations.  All  the  natives  I  have  seen  at  this 
operation  take  the  smoke  right  into  their  lungs,  and 
seem  to  enjoy  the  fit  of  coughing  that  follows.  But 
the  form  of  pipe  in  most  general  use  has  a  receptacle 
for  water,  through  which  the  smoke  is  drawn.  An 
eland  or  koodoo  horn  has  a  hole  cut  in  the  side  half- 
way between  the  base  and  the  point ;  into  this  a  reed 
is  inserted,  on  the  end  of  which  a  clay  bowl  is  fixed 
and  filled  with  tobacco  or  bang  {cannabis  nativa),  and 
occasionally  both;  water  is  poured  in  until  it  rises 
above  the  node,  wdien  it  is  ready  for  business,  placing 
the  mouth  over  the  open  base  of  the  horn  and  inspiring 
the  fumes.- 

But  the  most  objectionable  form  of  smoking  is  that 
of  bang,  or  dagga.  It  is  more  used  than  tobacco  among 
the  Batokas,  Mashonas,  Inhambanes,  and  those  toward 
the  East  Coast  and  Lake  regions.  Its  intoxicating  and 
injurious  effects  compare  very  closely  w4th  the  sensa- 
tions produced  by  the  use  of  opium.    After  filling  the 


MAKING  AN  IMPRESSION. 


119 


lungs,  the  head  is  thrown  back,  and  the  surplus  smoke 
emitted  in  a  dense  cloud;  the  mouth  is  filled  with 
water,  and  this  squirted  right  and  left  with  the  fumes 
from  the  lungs.  They  are  now  in  a  hysterical  con- 
dition, giving  themselves  up  to  coughing,  laughing, 
shouting,  and  incoherent  mutterings.  Natives  ad- 
dicted to  the  use  of  this  weed  become  in  a  short  time 
imbecile,  emaciated,  and  helpless.  The  Portuguese  are 
so  strongly  convinced  of  the  evils  resulting  to  the  vo- 
taries of  bang  that  slaves  discovered  indulging  in  it 
are  punished  as  for  any  other  crime. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  the  chief  appeared,  gor- 
geously arrayed  in  leopard-skins,  with  a  large  band  of 
men  at  his  heels  armed  with  assegais.  Quickly  buck- 
ling on  my  revolver,  I  ordered  them  to  quit  the  camp 
and  leave  their  weapons  outside  if  they  wished  to  talk 
with  me.  They  obeyed,  and  returned,  when  I  gave  the 
chief  a  seat,  and,  my  headmen  having  gathered  round, 
proceeded  to  make  myself  agreeable,  taking  care  to 
show  them  my  repeaters  and  Express  rifles,  drawing 
special  attention  to  the  size  of  the  bullets,  and  to  the 
fact  that  some  of  them  were  explosive.  The  great 
man  became  very  civil,  and  after  passing  a  few  com- 
pliments took  his  departure,  returning,  however,  in  the 
afternoon  with  a  fat  goat,  meal,  and  beer.  In  return 
I  gave  him  a  blanket  and  some  cloth,  which  pleased 
him,  and  we  parted  friends. 

Our  route  now  lies  south-southeast  instead  of  east- 
southeast  (as  it  has  been  ever  since  crossing  the 
Kwanza),  following  the  Kwangu  on  its  east  bank. 
The  surrounding'  country  gradually  improves  in  ap- 
pearance as  we  advance,  grass  being  more  abundant, 


120 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


altliougli  still  trudging  through  saud ;  but  there  seems 
but  little  of  any  other  soil  on  the  great  central  African 
plateau.  Game  is  more  plentiful,  scarcely  a  day  pass- 
ing without  our  seeing  herds  of  buffalo  and  antelope, 
but  always  in  the  open,  where  the  absence  of  cover 
denies  us  the  opportunity  of  a  shot,  much  as  we  want 
meat. 

Arriving  at  Metua,  we  have  now  to  build  a  skerm 
around  each  camp,  not  only  as  a  protection  against 
wild  animals,  but  to  break  the  rush  of  a  charge  from 
hostile  tribes.  There  are  two  entrances,  which  are 
built  up  at  night,  and  at  each,  during  the  day,  the 
men  stick  their  fetich-horns  in  the  path  to  awe  the 
natives;  but  an  exhibition  of  the  quick-firing  rifles 
has  a  greater  effect  upon  the  G-anguellians  than  any 
number  of  horns,  for  thus  far  I  have  not  seen  a  tithe 
of  the  outward  signs  of  superstition  with  them  that 
exists  among  my  own  men.  They  have  a  wholesome 
dread  of  the  guns,  which  they  say  go  "  bam,  bam,  bam !  " 

November  2d.  I  have  to  record  my  first  real  attack 
of  African  fever.  For  some  days  back  I  have  been 
dreading  the  results  of  camping  so  often  and  traveling 
so  long  among  these  marshes.  The  heat  of  yesterday 
was  intense.  I  got  into  camp  very  exhausted,  and  sat 
by  the  fire  for  some  time,  feeling  chilly,  then  sought 
warmth  in  my  tent,  wrapping  myself  in  several  blank- 
ets ;  but  the  ague  took  hold  of  me  in  earnest,  and  con- 
tinued until  near  midnight,  while  my  mind  was  har- 
assed by  the  saddest  thoughts  and  most  melancholy 
forebodings.  This  was  followed  by  the  hot  stage,  find- 
ing relief  only  in  the  next  stage,  when  perspiration 
began  to  flow  copiously  and  continued  until  daybreak, 


I 

( 


EXTEMPORIZED  MORTARS. 


121 


when  I  got  up,  drank  a  cup  of  coffee,  but  could  not 
look  at  my  cold  porridge.  I  sounded  the  bugle  and 
aroused  the  camp,  and  in  half  an  hour  more  got  on 
the  path,  feeling  very  weak  and  shaky.  My  poor  dog 
Gyp  refuses  her  food,  and  looks  as  if  she  would  not 
follow  us  much  farther.  I  am  grieved  for  this;  she 
has  been  good  company,  running  along  at  our  heels 
all  the  day,  and  keeping  faithful  watch  over  the  loads 
at  night.  The  burning  sand  and  heavy  swamps  have 
lately  proved  very  trying  to  her,  and  sometimes  she 
will  not  arrive  in  camp  until  hours  after  the  last  man 
is  in. 

We  met  a  large  caravan  in  charge  of  half-caste  Portu- 
guese coming  from  the  Barotse,  laden  with  rubber  and 
over  one  hundred  tusks  of  ivory,  varying  in  size  from 
three  to  six  feet  in  length ;  they  had  also  about  two 
hundred  and  forty  head  of  cattle.  They  have  been 
twenty-four  days  since  crossing  the  Zambesi,  having 
had  to  follow  the  marshes  and  windings  of  the  stream, 
so  as  to  find  grass  for  the  stock.  At  7  a.m.  we  entered 
a  dense  jungle,  with  scarcely  any  visible  path.  Eain 
had  fallen  during  the  night,  so  that  the  bush  was  heavy 
with  water ;  and,  having  to  lead  the  way,  in  a  few  min- 
utes I  was  drenched  to  the  skin,  and  remained  so  until 
we  got  into  camp  at  noon,  by  the  swamp  where  the 
river  Kusivi  has  its  origin. 

On  the  4th  we  reached  Kalumbwi,  and  here  again 
we  have  to  delay  a  couple  of  days  to  prepare  meal,  as 
another  uninhabited  country  of  forest  and  jungle  lies 
before  us.  The  men  succeeded  in  borrowing  only  one 
wooden  mortar  in  which  to  pound  their  corn ;  and  as 
I  have  promised  but  two  days  for  this  purpose,  several 


122 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


of  them  have  gone  into  the  forest  to  extemporize  a  few, 
so  as  to  expedite  the  work.  These  are  produced  more 
speedily  than  one  would  imagine,  as  they  are  neither 
hewn  nor  dug  out,  like  those  in  ordinary  use.  A  tree 
with  a  thick,  soft,  yielding  bark,  eight  or  ten  inches  in 
diameter,  is  selected  and  felled.  From  it  a  log  about 
three  feet  six  inches  is  cut,  when  they  proceed  at  one 
end  to  dexterously  fold  back  the  bark,  as  in  rolling  up 
a  coat-sleeve,  for  fourteen  inches,  when  the  denuded 
wood  is  carefully  chopped  square  off,  leaving  a  smooth 
surface ;  the  bark  is  then  returned  to  its  original  posi- 
tion. Next  a  stick  four  or  five  feet  in  length  and  two 
and  a  half  inches  thick  is  peeled,  the  ends  rounded,  and 
a  very  serviceable,  if  not  durable,  mortar  and  pestle 
is  ready  for  use. 

ViUages  have  been  more  frequent  than  west  of  Kan- 
gamba ;  but  though  we  are  thereby  better  supplied  with 
food,  the  denser  population  is  far  from  being  an  unal- 
loyed blessing  to  us,  for,  if  there  is  beer  to  be  had,  my 
men  are  constantly  framing  excuses  to  stop  over  a  day 
or  two,  until  I  begin  to  realize  that  my  own  small 
stock  of  groceries  is  all  but  exhausted,  though  we  are 
yet  many  marches  from  our  destination.  The  men  are 
making  fresh  demands  for  rations,  although  they  have 
already  received  more  than  was  agreed  upon  at  start- 
ing. I  offered  to  divide  among  them,  as  a  gift,  twenty- 
four  pounds  of  beads ;  but  they  coolly  told  me  it  was 
not  enough,  they  must  have  two  yards  of  cloth  each 
besides.  On  declining  to  accede  to  their  unjust  de- 
mands, I  was  told  to  make  myself  comfortable — which 
meant  that  they  intended  to  pit  their  patience  against 
mine.    This  is  easy  enough  for  them,  as  anywhere  is 


A  COMPLIMENTARY  DANCE. 


123 


home  to  tlie  African  while  there  is  something  to  eat ; 
so  very  hkely  they  will  get  the  best  of  it  in  the  end, 
but  not  to-day.  I  observed  several  of  the  women  wear- 
ing pieces  of  wood  about  three  inches  long  and  half 
an  inch  thick  through  the  lobe  of  the  right  ear,  while 
many  of  both  sexes  have  their  heads  closely  thatched 
all  round  with  red  beads.  Cloth  is  in  little  demand 
among  them,  but  an  empty  jam  or  sardine  tin,  or,  better 
still,  a  brass  cartridge  shell,  which  they  use  as  snuff- 
boxes, will  buy  a  basket  of  manioc  meal. 

In  the  afternoon  the  chief  of  Kalumbwi  paid  the 
usual  visit,  followed  by  a  tremendous  crowd  of  na- 
tives. He  went  first  to  the  headmen  and  asked  them 
to  walk  with  him  to  my  tent.  Like  his  people,  he  was 
all  but  naked,  and  made  no  attempt  to  act  the  grandee, 
like  most  chiefs.  He  is  a  handsome,  well-built  savage, 
and  far  less  repulsive  in  his  nakedness  than  the  half- 
draped,  haK-civilized  natives  of  the  west,  with  their 
greasy  shirts  and  dirty  loin-cloths.  I  entertained  him 
as  best  I  could,  while  he  expressed  no  end  of  pleasure 
at  everything  J  had  to  show  him.  On  leaving,  he  hinted 
that  as  I  was  the  first  white  man  he  had  ever  seen,  he 
would  send  his  people  that  night  to  do  me  honor. 
What  form  this  "  honor  "  was  to  take  remained  a  mys- 
tery until  nearly  eleven  o'clock,  when  I  was  roused  by 
a  terrific  noise  close  to  my  tent.  Jumping  up,  I  rushed 
out,  to  find  a  high  fire  blazing,  spears,  battle-axes,  bows 
and  arrows,  etc.,  stuck  in  the  ground  at  one  side,  while 
some  two  hundred  young  men  and  women  danced  in  a 
circle  round  the  fire,  as  if  their  very  lives  depended  on 
the  vigor  with  which  they  capered  and  wriggled  their 
bodies.    For  music,  they  had  five  big  drums  beaten 


124 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


with  the  open  hand,  producing  a  noise  that  was  posi- 
tively deafening.  I  earnestly  hoped  they  would  not 
prolong  the  demonstration  past  midnight ;  but  as  the 
hours  went  by  the  unearthly  din  only  grew  more  wild 
and  more  unbearable.  The  monotonous  and  discordant 
choruses  on  the  same  high-pitched  key  over  and  over 
again,  interspersed  with  howls  and  yells,  made  up  a 
pandemonium  which  to  endure  was  to  put  one's  sanity 
to  a  severe  test.  At  8  a.m.,  when  I  suppose  they  con- 
sidered I  had  been  honored  sufficiently  for  one  night, 
they  ceased,  and  came  to  know  how  I  had  enjoyed  it ; 
at  the  same  time  promising  that  if  I  would  give  them 
each  some  salt  they  would  repeat  the  little  treat  the 
following  night.  Needless  to  say,  there  was  no  salt 
distributed,  and  my  reply  is  not  recorded  here;  but 
they  did  not  return. 

The  carriers  sent  their  spokesman  to-day  with  the 
message  that  they  had  decided  to  accept  my  gift  of 
beads,  provided  I  added  the  two  yards  of  cloth ;  other- 
wise they  intended  to  stay  here  until  their  demands 
were  complied  with.  Hoping  to  get  square  with  them 
when  pay-day  comes,  I  let  them  have  the  stuff.  Their 
threat  to  remain  here  indefinitely  only  shows  the  un- 
reasonableness of  their  character,  as,  if  they  have  means 
to  buy  food  while  in  camp,  they  can  find  it  to  provide 
for  the  road ;  but  they  are  rogues,  without  a  single  ex- 
ception. On  the  journey  I  have  tried  to  put  confidence 
in  five  or  six  men,  who  appeared  to  be  honest,  intrust- 
ing them  with  cloth  to  buy  food  for  my  J amaicans ; 
but  in  each  case  I  found  they  were  thieves.  If  any 
one  of  them  offered  to  do  anything  for  us  on  the  road, 
it  was  only  that  they  might  have  an  excuse  for  extort- 


NURSE  AND  COOK  BY  TURNS. 


125 


ing  three  times  tlie  value  of  the  service  rendered.  I 
heartily  indorse  every  word  that  Professor  Drummond 
has  written  concerning  the  average  African  carrier. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  we  started  once  more, 
skirting  the  marsh  of  the  Knsivi  River  for  some  hours. 
Both  Jamaica  men  are  suffering  from  fever,  and  strug- 
gling along  with  great  difficulty ;  for  some  three  weeks 
Frater  has  scarcely  been  a  day  without  it,  although  the 
heavy  doses  of  quinine  he  is  taking  make  the  intervals 
longer  how.  When  the  two  are  down  I  have  to  be 
nurse  and  cook  by  turns.  I  think  it  is  pretty  clearly 
proven  that  the  West  Indian  is  quite  as  liable  to  mala- 
rial fever  as  the  European,  if  not  more  so.  We  made 
a  short  march  and  brought  up  at  Kalomo  (altitude, 
3550  feet). 

November  10th.  We  made  an  early  start  to-day, 
but  had  only  gone  seven  miles  when  rain  began  to  fall 
heavily,  and  we  had  to  stop  and  stack  the  loads  near 
the  village  of  Kusivi.  As  there  was  no  sign  of  the 
weather  clearing,  I  gave  orders  to  build  huts  for  the 
night.  I  was  surprised  to  see  a  number  of  men  come 
round  the  camp  with  hoes  on  their  shoulders,  and  was 
told  that  all  through  the  eastern  part  of  Ganguella  the 
men  work  in  the  fields  along  with  the  women,  during 
the  planting  season.  The  land  here  is  of  a  reddish 
color,  and  the  swamps  by  the  river — in  many  places 
stretching  out  for  half  a  mile  on  either  side — yield  a 
fair  crop  of  Kaffir-corn.  Most  of  the  villages  are  built 
right  in  the  center  of  the  marsh,  partly  for  the  purpose 
of  watching  their  patches  of  grain,  but  chiefly  to  be 
less  accessible  to  their  enemies.  Being  surrounded  by 
water,  the  huts  are  built  on  piles  some  six  or  eight  feet 


126 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


above  the  ground.  A  rough  ladder,  which  they  draw 
up  at  night,  is  used  to  reach  the  platform  at  the  entrance 
of  each  hut. 

Monday,  November  14th.  For  the  last  four  days  we 
have  been  traveling  mostly  in  the  forest,  with  heavy 
rains  every  day.  Yesterday  morning  dawned  with  thick 
fog  and  drizzling  rain,  and  two  of  the  headmen  came 
to  say  that  unless  I  would  promise  to  keep  off  the  rain 
the  men  refused  to  leave  camp.  A  few  minutes  later 
it  began  to  clear  up,  when  they  picked  up  their  loads, 
shouting  vociferously,  and  telling  me  I  had  done  well ; 
but  in  less  than  an  hour  down  came  the  rain  in  torrents. 
Alas  for  my  reputation  as  rain-doctor !  This  was  too 
bad !  I  had  just  kept  it  off  long  enough  to  get  them 
exposed  to  it,  and  then  let  it  come ;  and  for  the  balance 
of  the  day  I  was  in  the  bad  books  of  the  whole  caravan. 

A  path  through  the  forest  is  very  good  in  hot,  dry 
weather,  affording  grateful  shade ;  but  in  the  wet  sea- 
son for  hours  after  the  rain  has  ceased  there  is  a  per- 
petual shower-bath  from  the  trees  and  bushes.  For 
eight  miles  we  trudged  along,  until  every  stitch  of 
clothing  was  drenched  through.  Frater  and  Jonathan 
managed  to  get  into  dry  clothes  on  reaching  camp,  but 
the  man  carrying  the  bag  with  my  extra  suit  had  let  it 
fall  into  the  water  while  crossing  a  stream,  and  the  con- 
tents were  soaked.  There  was  no  alternative  but  to 
wrap  myself  in  my  blanket  and  wait  for  the  sun  to 
appear  and  dry  them.  We  have  seen  no  villages  or 
natives  for  the  last  three  days.  Oh,  how  I  long  to  see 
a  white  face !  Little  did  I  think,  in  starting  out  on  this 
journey,  that  I  would  be  so  depressed  with  feehngs  of 
intense  loneliness. 


i 


BRIDGE  BUILDING. 


127 


This  morning  broke  very  gloomy,  threatening  early 
rain.  I  had  everything  ready  by  5.30  a.m.,  but  the  car- 
rierg  would  not  stir  until  after  six,  when,  just  as  we 
were  leaving  camp,  a  boy  was  seized  with  an  epileptic 
fit.  Then  a  kind  of  circus  commenced,  by  the  old  men 
performing  around  the  lad  with  the  fetich-horns,  ex- 
orcising the  spirits  that  were  supposed  to  be  troubling 
him. 

At  seven  o'clock,  however,  we  got  off,  pushing  our 
way  through  dense  jungle  for  thirteen  miles,  until  we 
emerged  at  the  head  of  the  river  Cikulwi,  which,  being 
about  thirty-five  feet  wide  and  eight  feet  deep,  we  could 
not  ford,  and  were  obliged  to  halt  and  improvise  a 
bridge.  Pitching  camp  within  a  few  yards  of  the  river, 
and  cutting  down  small  trees,  by  night  we  had  fixed  up 
a  rough  trestle  bridge,  which,  though  rather  shaky, 
served  our  purpose.  It  was  made  by  placing  two 
trunks  of  trees,  with  forked  ends,  upon  each  bank ; 
these  met  and  fixed  into  each  other  over  the  bed  of  the 
river,  and  a  man  crawling  along  one  of  the  trees  lashed 
the  forks  together  with  bark.  A  few  poles  were  forced 
into  the  mud,  and  acted  as  supports  and  braces  to  the 
bridge ;  the  fastening  of  transverse  bars  ladder-fashion 
was  an  easy  matter,  and  the  work  was  completed.  It 
will  remain,  I  suppose,  until  swept  away  by  the  next 
rains. 

November  15th.  The  caravan  crossed  on  the  wooden 
structure  safely;  but  spanning  the  stream  was  by  no 
means  the  end  of  our  difficulties,  for  all  these  rivers  on 
the  plains  are  bounded  by  far-reaching  marshes,  and  in 
this  case  the  swamp  extended,  green  but  treacherous, 
and  reeking  with  malaria,  for  half  a  mile.    Over  an 


128 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


hour  passed  before  the  last  man  had  reached  dry  land, 
though  there  was  no  standing  still ;  that  only  meant  to 
sink  deeper.  Those  with  loads  every  now  and  a'gain 
went  down  to  the  waist,  while  only  the  heads  and  loads 
of  others  were  to  be  seen  above  the  mud,  holding  on 
with  their  hands  to  clumps  of  grass  until  rescued  by 
their  companions.  This  was  but  one  of  the  many 
similar  struggles  we  have  experienced  in  the  marshes. 
We  entered  the  thicket  again,  crossing  the  Kambuli,  a 
stream  about  twenty  yards  wide  but  only  knee-deep, 
and  by  noon  reached  Kalongo,  having  made  a  good 
march  of  sixteen  miles. 

On  the  morning  of  the  16th  we  staggered  out  into 
the  path  again,  feeling  very  stiff  and  tired.  We  were 
still  in  the  jungle,  and  had  twelve  miles  of  thick  under- 
brush to  contend  with,  our  first  opening  being  at  the 
rise  of  the  Ninda.  We  passed  the  grave  of  a  French- 
man, inclosed  by  a  palisade.  He  had  been  killed  by  an 
"  onyani "  (wild  ox).  He  had  fired  on  the  animal,  but 
only  wounded  it,  and  before  -  he  could  reload,  it  charged 
and  gored  him. 

We  are  now  out  of  the  Ganguella  country,  and  on 
the  southern  border  of  Lovale.  The  landscape  is  beau- 
tiful, rich  green  grass  covering  the  plams.  Still  no  sign 
of  natives  or  villages,  for  which  I  am  rather  thankful, 
as  the  men  make  longer  marches  and  travel  better  when 
there  are  no  attractions  by  the  way  and  they  know 
there  is  no  chance  of  replenishing  their  meal-bags. 
Some  have  run  short  of  food  already,  and  have  been 
digging  for  edible  roots  this  evening,  to  eke  out  their 
nearly  exhausted  store.  I  have  kept  a  sharp  lookout 
all  day  for  a  shot  at  an  antelope  or  a  buffalo,  as  it  is 


GAME  IN  ABUNDANCE. 


129 


now  nearly  two  weeks  since  my  daily  allowance  of  oat- 
meal has  known  any  variation ;  even  the  wild  honey  is 
finished ;  and  this  fare  does  not  tend  to  strengthen  me 
for  the  long,  heavy  marches.  Still,  I  am  thankful  to  be 
in  very  fair  health,  with  the  exception  of  a  peculiar  ver- 
tigo that  troubles  me  every  morning,  but  which  passes 
away  after  walking  a  few  miles.  It  may  be  asked.  Why 
was  not  better  provision  made  for  the  journey !  Well, 
I  was  informed  by  those  who  were  supposed  to  know, 
that  five  weeks  at  most  would  see  us  at  the  Barotse. 
Had  we  made  the  journey  in  that  time,  there  would  have 
been  no  lack  of  food ;  but  nine  weeks  have  passed  since 
we  left  Cisamba,  and  we  are  still,  I  believe,  two  weeks 
from  the  Zambesi.  One  cannot  calculate  upon  time 
while  having  to  depend  for  the  conveyance  of  loads  on 
such  fellows  as  the  Biheans. 

November  19th.  This  is  the  first  bright  day  we  have 
had  for  a  week.  We  started  at  six  o'clock.  The  course 
of  the  Ninda  to-day  had  many  windings,  to  avoid  which 
we  made  short  cuts  through  the  forest,  steering  due 
east.  This  is  the  wildest  country  we  have  seen.  There 
is  plenty  of  game ;  we  saw  several  herds  of  antelope, 
eland,  hartebeest,  and  onyani.  We  struck  the  fresh 
spoor  of  elephants  at  four  different  places,  and  at  one 
spot  they  had,  either  in  a  fight  or  in  play,  torn  up  a 
number  of  young  trees,  plowed  up  the  ground,  and 
strewn  it  with  broken  branches.  There  is  no  chance 
of  getting  near  game,  with  a  noisy  crowd  of  men  whose 
tongues  never  seem  to  weary.  A  buffalo  that  was  gam- 
boling about  on  the  plain  as  we  passed  charged  the 
rear  of  the  straggling  caravan,  and  although  most  of 
the  men  were  armed  they  threw  down  their  guns  and 


130 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


loads  and  hid  in  the  bnsh.  We  saw  eight  large  snakes 
within  a  mile;  three  of  them  were  the  venomous  and 
deadly  green  mamba.  None  of  them  attempted  to  show 
fight,  but  got  out  of  the  way  as  quickly  as  they  could. 
While  threading  my  way  through  the  thicket  I  almost 
stepped  on  a  huge  iguana  that  was  lying  right  across 
the  path ;  it  made  off  and  scrambled  up  a  tree,  when  I 
brought  it  down  with  my  rifle.  It  measured  four  feet 
three  inches  from  tip  to  tip.  I  ]3reserved  the  skin,  and 
the  car]'iers  begged  the  flesh,  considering  it  a  great 
delicacy. 

We  reached  Kalungalunga  early  in  the  day.  I  bought 
several  good-sized  flsh  for  a  few  beads,  so  we  have  a 
splendid  dinner  for  once.  There  are  several  villages 
in  the  vicinity,  but  no  meal  can  be  obtained  without 
sending  eight  miles  to  the  north,  causing  another  delay 
of  several  days. 

November  23d.  After  spending  three  days  in  last 
camp,  we  had  only  gone  six  miles  when  we  came  upon 
a  village  where  the  natives  said  they  had  plenty  of  dried 
flsh.  There  is  no  use  trying  to  get  the  men  past;  I 
am  sick  of  contending  with  them,  yet.  unwilling  to 
take  the  law  into  my  own  hands  and  force  them,  which 
could  easily  be  done,  they  are  such  arrant  cowards. 
If  I  can  only  bear  with  them  the  few  remaining  days 
and  get  rid  of  them  in  peace,  I  shall  be  thankful.  So 
here  we  must  camp  at  Wanambuka  for  to-night.  Were 
I  asked  if  the  Bihean  has  a  god  that  he  worships, 
I  should  unhesitatingly  reply,  "Yes;  his  god  is  his 
belly ; "  for  three  parts  of  his  waking  hours  are  taken 
up  with  cooking,  eating,  and  talking  about  food. 

November  24th.    Rain  fell  the  most  of  last  night, 


A  FETICH-DOCTOR. 


131 


and  did  not  hold  up  until  half-past  eight  this  morn- 
ing. The  men  have  given  up  asking  me  to  control  the 
weather  since  the  day  I  allowed  the  rain  to  come  down 
just  after  starting.  We  have  a  carrier  in  our  company 
named  Cirula,  who  the  Ovimbundu  believe  possesses 
wonderful  power  over  the  elements,  and  by  6  a.m.  he 
was  out  shouting  to  the  clouds  and  whistling  to  the 
rain,  while  he  burned  a  fetich-powder  which  he  carried 
with  him.  After  a  great  effort  and  much  hard  work  he 
succeeded  in  stopping  the  rain  at  the  hour  named ;  so 
we  struck  camp. 

The  name  "  fetich-doctor "  may  be  applied  to  all  su- 
perstitious pretenders  found  in  Central  Africa ;  but  in 
reality  the  supposed  power  over  and  knowledge  of  the 
unseen  is  appropriated  to  widely  different  ^nds.  As 
all  cases  of  sickness  are  attributed  to  some  evil  spell, 
or  the  visitation  of  some  departed  relative,  friend,  or 
enemy,  when  a  case  of  illness  occurs  the  "  diviner "  is 
applied  to  first,  in  order  to  discover  the  cause.  This  is 
arrived  at  with  much  ceremony,  and  generally  in  the 
presence  of  a  number  of  people,  by  a  wear^dng  program 
of  incantations,  accompanied  by  the  sacrifice  of  a  white 
cock.  He  feigns  to  discover  a  foreign  body,  in  the 
shape  of  a  claw,  or  stick,  or  a  piece  of  iron,  generally 
in  the  arm,  leg,  or  head  of  the  sufferer.  Resort  is  now 
made  to  the  "  medicine-man,"  who  professes  ability  to 
cure  all  manner  of  sickness,  from  whatever  cause.  He 
makes  no  attempt  to  diagnose  a  case,  but  with  myste- 
rious words  and  genuflections  he  prescribes  and  admin- 
isters to  the  patient  pungent  decoctions  from  his  stock 
of  di-ied  abominations ;  and  in  order  that  the  medicine 
shall  prove  efficacious,  the  patient  has  often  to  be  re- 


132  REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 

moved  to  an  isolated  hut.  Should  the  treatment  fail 
to  have  the  desired  effect,  the  skill  of  the  "  physician  " 
would  not  be  questioned.  The  diviner  and  medicine- 
man play  into  each  other's  hands;  and  there  is  yet 
another  iniquitous  impostor  who  must  also  be  consid- 
ered a  partner  in  this  nefarious  firm — the  sorcerer,  or 
"obeah-man."  He  is  credited  with  power  over  spiiits 
to  control  their  actions,  or  make  void  thek  designs  by 
counter- witchery ;  he  affects  the  crops  and  increase; 
and  to  his  ear  are  intrusted  the  secret  desires  of  would- 
be  avengers,  and  by  his  infernal  work  persons  not 
wanted  are  removed. 

November  25th.  Seeing  game  so  abundant,  I  deter- 
mined this  morning  to  start  out  half  an  hour  ahead, 
so  as  to  get  away  from  my  noisy  followers.  Accom- 
panied by  two  headmen,  I  set  out  by  daybreak,  trav- 
ersing during  the  first  two  hours  seven  miles  of  plain, 
and  sighting  herds  of  buffaloes  and  antelopes,  which 
from  the  absence  of  cover  were  unapproachable.  We 
had  just  entered  the  forest  when  I  saw  three  splendid 
hartebeests,  two  cows  and  a  bull,  gi*azing  quietly  at 
about  five  hundred  yards.  Getting  down  on  all-fours, 
I  crept  along  until  I  had  shortened  the  distance  three 
hundred  yards ;  the  bull,  always  on  the  alert,  got  wind 
of  me,  and,  facing  round,  began  snorting  and  stamping 
with  his  forefeet.  Eaising  my  "  Express,"  I  fired  and 
hit  him  in  the  chest,  when  he  staggered  a  few  yards 
and  fell.  By  the  time  we  had  skinned  and  cut  up  the 
carcass  the  carriers  arrived,  and  we  were  soon  under 
way  again.  The  meat  was  tender  and  delicious — a 
great  windfall  for  us.  I  reserved  a  small  jiortion  for 
our  own  use,  and  had  the  rest  distributed  among  the 


A  HUNTER'S  PARADISE. 


133 


men;  but  in  no  instance  was  there  an  expression  of 
thankfulness,  only  a  growl  that  I  had  not  shot  two 
instead  of  one. 

Any  one  coming  to  this  country  to  labor  in  Christian 
work  must  be  content  to  look  for  his  encouragement 
or  reward  from  some  other  source  than  from  the  people 
he  comes  to  benefit;  for  the  white  man,  to  them,  is 
only  a  present-giving  animal,  or  an  object  to  be  plun- 
dered. Eespect  being  gauged  by  the  amount  of  stuff 
he  distributes,  if  he  has  none  to  give  he  is  despised, 
and  becomes  the  subject  of  their  sneers  and  contempt. 

All  along  now  we  observe  with  delight  the  remark- 
able change  in  the  appearance  of  the  country  compared 
with  the  sterile  plains  which  he  behind  us — immense 
stretches  of  luxuriant  grass,  shaded  here  and  there  with 
patches  of  palms.  We  are  camped  to-night  in  the  for- 
est primeval ;  very  little  undergrowth,  and  magnificent 
large  trees.  Any  one  fond  of  sport  would  find  here  a 
hunter's  paradise,  with  almost  every  kind  of  African 
game,  from  duikers  to  elephants.  In  the  evening  three 
wild  oxen  came  trotting  past  my  tent.  I  always  pitch 
it  in  these  uninhabited  regions  some  distance  from  the 
huts,  so  as  to  be  away  from  the  noise  at  night.  I  picked 
up  my  rifle  just  as  a  dozen  men  with  guns  came  rush- 
ing out  of  camp,  howling  and  shouting  in  full  cry  after 
the  game.  This  is  their  idea  of  hunting,  and  the  reason 
why  they  so  seldom  bring  down  anything ;  so  I  put  up 
my  gun,  knowing  it  was  useless  to  join  in  such  a  chase. 
I  heard  eighteen  shots  fired  before  they  returned ;  re- 
sult, animals  scared  a  bit. 


CHAPTER  YII. 


AKKIYAL  IX  THE  BAKOTSE  VALLEY. 


Mutiny  in  camp. — Barotse  natives. — Milk  for  the  first  time. — The  Zambesi 
at  last. — Reception  by  King  Lewanika. — "Yo  sho,  yo  sho,  yo  sho!" — 
Salutations. — The  royal  residence. — ''Fail  not.  at  your  peril !  " — Barotse 
huts. — A  native  ser\'ice. — Lewanika's  ambition. — Building  the  Nali- 
kwanda. — Pajing  otf  carriers. — Presented  "with  an  ox. — Dining  with  roy- 
alty.— The  burden  of  his  heart. — British  Protectorate. — Thieves  and 
robbers. — Monsieur  Coillard's  letter. — The  British  South  African  Com- 
pany.— Concession-hunting. — An  emphatic  protest. — ^A  letter  from  King 
Lewanika. 


OYEMBER  29tli.    This  morning,  instead  of  start- 


1  1  ing,  the  carriers,  led  by  two  rascals,  Bwete  and 
Kesongo  (who  have  been  at  the  root  of  almost  every 
trouble  we  have  had  on  the  road),  conscious  that  they 
had  exacted  from  me  much  more  than  was  due  for 
rations,  and  fearing  I  should  take  it  off  their  pay  on 
getting  to  the  Barotse,  refused  to  take  up  their  loads 
unless  I  paid  every  man,  in  full,  here  and  now.  They 
strutted  about  all  day,  thinking,  no  doubt,  I  should  be 
obliged  to  comply.  Calling  the  headmen  together,  I 
told  them  they  could  do  as  they  pleased,  but  that  I  in- 
tended starting  for  the  capital  of  Barotse  to-morrow, 
alone,  if  necessary,  where  men  would  be  found  to  come 
back  for  my  loads,  and  the  mutineers  would  lose  all 
their  pay.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and  they  prom- 
ised to  start.    They  cannot  do  much  now,  as  we  are 


134 


BAROTSE  NATIVES. 


135 


within  three  or  four  days  of  Lialui,  and  there  accounts 
will  be  squared. 

On  the  morrow  I  sent  two  men  with,  as  is  customary, 
a  letter  and  presents  of  cloth  to  King  Lewanika,  re- 
questing permission  to  enter  his  country.  I  also  sent 
a  letter  to  Monsieur  Coillard,  the  French  missionary. 

The  natives  have  their  own  way  of  carrying  a  letter. 
Having  no  pocket,  and  a  corner  of  their  loin-cloth  not 
being  the  best  receptacle,  they  devise  a  plan  to  keep 
the  envelope  clear  of  their  greasy  skins  by  slipping  it 
into  a  cleft  stick,  securing  the  open  end  by  tying  it 
with  bark.  When  they  rest,  the  free  end  is  stuck  in 
the  ground;  and  they  hold  it  prominently  as  they 
travel,  the  sight  of  an  omakanda  (paper  that  speaks) 
generally  securing  for  them  a  measure  of  protection 
when  passing  among  strangers,  as  they  recognize  the 
fact  that  there  must  be  a  white  man  not  far  off. 

Three  more  marches  brought  us  on  the  30tli  to  the 
thickly  populated  district  of  Kanete.  None  too  soon, 
for  my  food-supply  is  at  the  lowest  ebb,  my  rations  for 
the  last  two  days  having  been  reduced  to  a  few  crackers 
with  two  ears  of  roasted  mealies.  I  hope  we  shall  be 
able  to  procure  a  fresh  supply  of  meal  here,  even  if  we 
have  to  stay  a  day  or  two.  This  is  part  of  the  Barotse 
Valley.  The  natives  are  subjects  of  Lewanika,  but 
most  of  them  are  slaves  belonging  to  the  headmen  of 
the  villages.  These  people  are  a  mixture  of  several 
tribes  captured  in  raids  and  war ;  they  are  of  a  lower 
caste  and  are  coarser  featured  than  the  G-anguellians. 
The  women  make  no  attempt  at  hairdressing,  plaiting, 
or  ornamenting ;  a  few  have  beads  round  their  necks, 
and  most  of  them  rings  of  iron  and  brass  on  their 


136 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


arms  and  ankles.  There  are  no  flint-locks  among  the 
men,  but  bows  and  arrows  and  assegais.  This  morn- 
ing I  saw  cow's  milk  for  the  first  time  since  coming  to 
Africa,  brought  in  large  gourds  by  a  native  for  sale ; 
but  as  the  native  does  not  consider  milk  fit  to  use  until 
it  has  been  kept  for  a  week  or  so  and  becomes  sour 
and  thick,  this  was  the  condition  of  all  that  was 
brought  to-day ;  but  they  promised  to  bring  a  gourd  of 
fresh  milk  to-morrow. 

We  are  convinced,  by  the  apparent  abundance  of 
milk,  that  the  breed  of  cattle  as  well  as  the  land  must 
be  vastly  superior  to  anything  of  the  kind  in  Bihe  or 
the  West  Coast ;  for  although  there  are  cattle  at  all  the 
mission  stations,  and  the  time  we  passed  through  was 
the  calving  season,  in  no  instance  did  we  see  other 
than  condensed  milk  on  the  table.  The  education  of 
the  Bihean  cow  has  thus  far  been  neglected. 

December  2d.  For  ten  miles  we  followed  the  western 
border  of  the  plain,  and  camped  again  at  the  edge  of 
a  wood.  Several  villages  are  in  sight,  but  the  natives 
are  very  shy.  About  3  p.m.  the  two  men  I  sent  off  on 
the  30th  with  letters  to  the  king  and  Monsieur  Coillard 
returned,  and,  to  my  dismay  and  chagrin,  said  they 
found  no  white  people,  and  that  the  king  had  forbid- 
den, on  pain  of  death,  any  white  man  to  enter  his 
country.  They  could  give  no  reason  for  having  failed 
to  deliver  the  letter  to  the  king.  I  will,  however,  start 
in  the  morning  and  seek  the  white  men,  of  whom  I 
have  heard,  and  risk  the  king's  interdict.  So,  leaving 
Frater  in  charge,  I  procured  a  guide,  and,  taking  Jona- 
than, set  out  at  daybreak  to  walk  to  Lialui,  the  capital 
of  Barotse.    After  tramping  for  an  hour  and  a  haK  we 


RECEPTION  BY  THE  KING. 


137 


reached  the  Zambesi.  Procuring  a  canoe,  we  crossed 
the  famous  river,  which  at  this  point  is  about  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  wide,  and  called  the  Mongole  drift. 
Hippopotami  were  bathing  in  the  cool  waters  just  above 
the  place  where  we  crossed,  but  I  was  too  preoccupied 
to  take  much  notice  of  them.  Another  hour  brought 
us  to  the  river  Kimbo,  wide  but  not  deep,  so  that  the 
guide  was  able  to  carry  me  over  on  his  shoulders.  The 
grassy  plains  on  either  side  of  us  abounded  with  cattle 
of  small  size,  but  in  splendid  condition,  while  flocks  of 
wild  geese  and  ducks  were  everywhere,  within  easy 
gunshot.  Four  hours  more  and  we  were  at  Lialui.  To 
the  right,  I  observed  a  few  huts,  where  I  was  told 
white  men  lived.  Thither  I  bent  my  steps,  found  an 
English  trader  and  a  hunter  of  doubtful  nationality, 
and  was  heartily  welcomed.  I  sent  back  the  guide  to 
camp  with  orders  for  the  caravan  to  come  on  in  the 
morning. 

Later  in  the  day  I  went  to  see  Lewanika,  whom  I 
found  sitting  in  his  "lekhothla,"  or  courtyard,  in  the 
center  of  the  town,  with  a  crowd  of  people  kneeling  in 
semicircles  before  him,  near  or  far  according  to  their 
rank.  The  deep,  yielding  sand  is  a  merciful  provision 
for  those  who  have  to  remain  in  this  position  for  hours 
together.  I  was  graciously  received,  and  could  not  but 
feel  that  at  last  I  was  face  to  face  with  a  real  African 
king,  compared  with  whom  the  many  I  had  seen  were 
but  insignificant.  Lewanika  was  plainly  dressed  in 
English  clothes,  and  sat  on  an  ordinary  cane-bottom 
chair;  his  manner  was  affable  and  free.  In  front  of 
him  were  his  band  of  drummers  and  marimba  players. 
Each  company  of  men,  as  they  assembled  at  the  even- 


138 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ing  council,  while  still  at  some  distance  began  clapping 
their  hands  in  unison ;  and  before  taking  their  places 
raised  their  hands  above  their  heads  and  shouted  the 
royal  salutation,  "  Yo  sho,  yo  slio,  yo  sho ! "  After 
kneeling,  they  continue  clapping,  and  bow  their  faces 
to  the  earth  three  times.  To  all  this  pomp  and  cere- 
mony, with  which  the  Marotsi  have  for  ages  surrounded 
their  sovereign,  Lewanika  paid  no  attention  (although 
I  understand  he  is  not  indifferent  to  it),  but  kept  up  a 
long  conversation  with  me  through  an  interpreter.  He 
could  not  quite  understand  why  I  had  come  so  far 
simply  to  see  the  country  and  the  people,  for  he  said, 
"  All  the  white  men  who  come  here  either  want  ivory 
and  skins,  or  liberty  to  hunt  in  my  territory." 

The  mode  of  salutation  among  the  Marotsi  is  peculiar. 
They  approach  a  superior  clapping  the  hands  and  re- 
peating the  word  "  lumela  " ;  but  to  equals  they  observe 
three  different  grades  (see  illustration),  according  to  the 
degree  of  friendship  or  relationship  existing  between 
them.  Those  having  a  slight  acquaintance  with  each 
other  will  on  meeting  lay  down  their  spears  or  what- 
ever load  they  may  be  carrying,  and,  seizing  each  other 
by  both  hands,  elevate  them  to  about  the  level  of  their 
eyes,  lowering  and  raising  them  three  times,  silently 
gazing  into  each  other's  face,  and  conclude  the  cere- 
mony by  squatting  down  and  passing  the  snuff-box. 
The  second  mode  of  greeting  applies  to  individuals  be- 
tween whom  a  closer  friendship  exists ;  the  same  dumb 
show  is  performed,  but  in  this  case  the  parties  kneel. 
The  third  form  is  observed  only  by  near  relations,  and 
differs  from  the  second  in  that  each  with  his  right  hand 
seizes  the  left  hand  of  the  other,  palm  upward,  on  which 


THE  ROYAL  RESIDENCE. 


139 


he  impresses  a  prolonged  kiss,  or  kisses,  according  to 
the  warmth  of  their  attachment. 

December  4th.  Early  in  the  morning  a  messenger 
came  from  the  king  with  his  greeting,  and  to  know  if  I 
had  slept  well ;  at  the  same  time  expressing  his  desire 
that  I  should  live  in  his  village  during  my  stay  in  the 
valley,  and  stating  that  a  house  was  already  prepared 
for  me.  He  also  sent  an  invitation  to  lunch  with  him 
at  noon.  Such  kindness  and  civility  from  a  chief  in 
the  interior  of  Africa  I  was  totally  unprepared  for,  as 
past  Qxperience  had  led  me  to  look  upon  them  merely 
as  greedy  beggars,  who  never  offered  the  white  man  a 
paltry  basket  of  meal  without  expecting  ten  times  its 
value  in  return.  There  have  certainly  been  exceptions, 
such  as  the  chiefs  at  Ciyuka,  Kukema,  and  Kwanza. 

Noon  found  the  English  trader  and  myself  at  the  en- 
trance of  the  reed-mat  inclosure  within  which  is  the 
king's  residence,  surrounded  by  some  twenty  large  huts, 
the  domiciles  of  his  numerous  wives.  The  entire  ab- 
sence of  dirt  and  rubbish  is  a  pleasing  feature  of  Lialui ; 
but  still  more  praiseworthy  is  the  well-kept  and  orderly 
condition  of  the  royal  inclosure,  reminding  one  of  a 
military  fort  in  time  of  peace.  Lewanika  was  sitting 
at  the  door  of  his  house  conversing  with  his  secretary ; 
but  on  seeing  us  he  arose  and  bid  us  welcome  in  a  very 
genial  manner.  The  building  is  after  the  bungalow 
style,  and  is  the  work  of  natives  trained  by  Mr.  Wad- 
dell,  a  Scotch  carpenter  at  Sefula,  Monsieur  Coillard's 
mission  station.  A  narrow  veranda  runs  along  the  front 
of  the  dwelling,  and,  crossing  the  threshold,  we  enter 
the  sitting-room,  where  only  white  people  besides  the 
king  are  admitted.    The  walls  of  this  room  are  com- 


140 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


posed  of  reed  mats,  beautifully  woven,  in  various  de- 
signs, with  the  beaten  bark  of  trees,  dyed  in  several 
colors — the  work  of  his  wives. 

December  5th.  No  sign  of  my  caravan  yet;  they 
seem  determined  to  follow  their  own  sweet  wills  to  the 
very  last.  I  went  to  the  king  and  laid  the  matter  be- 
fore him,  when  he  immediately  dispatched  a  messenger 
with  the  order  that  they  put  in  an  appearance  at  once, 
with  the  result  that  before  night  they  were  all  here,  and 
very  much  frightened.  I  never  saw  such  a  change  in 
the  demeanor  of  any  company  of  men.  Just  like  the 
cowardly  knaves !  Now  they  know  that  they  have  in- 
curred the  king's  displeasure,  for  he  had  told  his  mes- 
senger to  say  they  were  to  fail  not,  at  their  peril.  They 
have  had  a  big  scare.  "It's  a  long  lane  that  has  no 
turning." 

All  day  there  has  been  held  in  the  "  lekhothla "  the 
great  native  festival  of  the  month — the  dance  of  the 
new  moon.  From  early  morning  the  drums  have  been 
going  hard,  and  as  I  passed  through  the  council-yard 
at  noon  the  dance  was  at  its  height,  performed  by  some 
three  hundred  men,  draped  almost  uniformly  in  kilts  of 
leopards'  tails,  and  ostrich  feathers  in  their  hair.  It 
lasted  until  sundown.  But  every  night  there  is  a  dance 
for  a  couple  of  hours,  commencing  at  ten  o'clock,  and 
the  drumming  continues  with  brief  intervals  until  day- 
light; this  is  for  the  purpose  of  driving  off  the  evil 
spirits  that  are  inclined  to  disturb  the  king's  slumbers. 
I  now  occupy  the  premises  provided  by  the  king,  con- 
sisting of  two  large  huts,  one  of  which  was  assigned  to 
Frater  and  Jonathan.  The  construction  of  these  huts 
is  peculiar,  and  deserves  more  than  a  passing  notice. 


BAROTSE  HUTS. 


141 


Tliey  consist  of  two  circular  walls,  one  within  the  other, 
made  of  reeds,  and  both  surfaces  plastered  over  by  hand 
with  a  mixture  of  cow-dung  and  sand,  or  preferably 
ant-hills,  when  obtainable.  The  floors  are  made  with 
the  same  kind  of  cement,  well  trodden  with  the  feet, 
and  subsequently  smoothed  in  the  same  fashion  as  the 
walls,  a  finishing  coat  being  added  of  bullock's  blood, 
which  serves  to  harden  and  give  a  polish  to  the  surface. 
The  roof,  made  of  reeds  closely  woven  together  and 
thatched  with  grass,  and  extending  beyond  the  outer 
wall  several  feet,  forms  a  shade  all  round  the  hut,  and, 
as  it  rests  on  both  walls,  forms  an  inner  and  outer  com- 
partment, perfectly  light-tight,  having  no  windows,  and 
I  might  say  "  air-tight "  too.  The  inside  or  sleeping- 
room  is  stiflingiy  hot  and  close,  so  that  I  prefer  to  sleep 
in  the  outer  section.  In  the  largest  dwellings  the  door 
is  only  about  four  feet  high  by  two  and  a  half  wide. 
The  privacy  of  each  family  is  secured  by  inclosing  their 
yard  with  a  tall  reed  fence.  Our  huts  are  nearly  new, 
consequently  the  smell  is  very  strong;  but  we  are 
getting  used  to  it. 

December  6th,  Sunday.  The  chief's  secretary,  Saji- 
ka,  who  has  been  educated  in  Basutoland,  had  a  ser- 
vice in  the  village,  reading  a  portion  of  Scripture  and 
singing  some  hymns  with  the  boys  who  are  under  the 
tuition  of  Monsieur  Coillard  at  Sefula ;  but  in  the  even- 
ing the  drums  beat  and  the  dance  goes  on  as  on  other 
nights,  loudly  and  fiercely,  until  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  There  is  a  manifest  struggle  going  on  here 
between  light  and  darkness ;  so  far,  the  latter  is  in  the 
ascendency. 

I  spent  three  hours  of  the  afternoon  with  the  king, 


142 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


our  conversation  being  interpreted  by  a  black  boy,  who 
knows  a  little  English,  having  been  brought  up  at  Cape 
Colony.  Lewanika  says  he  longs  for  light  and  knowl- 
edge, and  wonders  why  more  missionaries  do  not  come 
to  teach  him  and  his  people.  It  must  not  be  imagined 
by  this,  however,  that  he  yearns  for  a  knowledge  of  the 
gospel.  By  no  means;  he  wants  teachers  to  instruct 
his  people  how  to  read  and  write,  but  especially  to  train 
them  as  carpenters,  cabinet-makers,  blacksmiths,  and 
for  other  trades,  that  they  may  make  furniture '  and 
build  houses  for  him.  None  of  his  people  dare  own  a 
chair,  or  build  a  square  house,  or  put  a  wooden  door 
or  a  window  in  their  hut;  the  right  to  possess  such 
luxuries  he  reserves  to  himself.  But  he  has  a  great 
idea  of  the  ability  of  the  Marotsi  to  learn  the  various 
arts  and  become  wise  like  Europeans.  He  is  by  no 
means  an  idler  himself,  much  of  his  time  being  spent 
in  wood-carving,  with  very  primitive  tools,  turning  out 
bowls  and  other  dishes  of  wonderful  symmetry,  and 
exhibiting  exceptional  skill  and  taste.  At  present  he 
is  busy  with  his  men  building  the  annual  Nalikwanda. 

This  is  a  monster  canoe,  constructed  from  a  number 
of  smaller  ones  broken  up  to  yield  planks  for  the  un- 
gainly craft.  It  measures  a  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
in  length  by  fifteen  feet  beam,  is  flat-bottomed,  has  no 
keel  and  no  ribs,  and  will  only  be  used  in  taking  the 
king  in  state  with  his  wives  to  his  mountain  village, 
some  thirteen  miles  off,  where  he  spends  a  couple  of 
months  each  year  during  the  time  when  the  plain  is 
inundated  with  water  by  the  overflow  of  the  Zambesi. 
Ere  the  waters  dry  up  he  returns  again,  and  the  boat, 
that  required  months  of  labor  from  hundreds  of  men. 


PAYING  OFF  CARRIERS. 


143 


is  used  no  more ;  anotlier  one  is  built  for  the  following 
year.  It  is  manned  only  by  chiefs,  and  none  but  the 
aristocracy  are  allowed  on  board.  But  if  the  back  of 
this  one  does  not  break  and  slip  the  whole  of  them  into 
the  water  I  shall  be  surprised.  Last  year  they  sewed 
the  planks  together  with  bark ;  now  they  have  got  a 
step  further,  and  are  joining  the  planks  by  overlaying 
the  seams  with  boards  and  nailing  them  down  with 
four-inch  native  spikes,  and  have,  like  the  builders  of 
the  ark,  "  pitched  it  within  and  without  with  pitch." 

December  7th.  I  paid  off  my  caravan  this  morning. 
Not  a  single  growl  was  heard  from  a  man ;  they  were 
like  a  flock  of  frightened  sheep,  lest  I  should  tell  the 
king  of  their  conduct  on  the  road.  I  gave  to  each  the 
full  amount  agreed  upon  at  Bihe;  had  they  behaved 
better,  they  Avould  have  received  something  more.  I 
had  only  to  remember  that  they  had  robbed  me  of  at 
least  six  weeks  of  my  life,  to  prevent  a  fit  of  generosity 
seizing  me. 

To-day  the  king  presented  me  with  a  fine  fat  ox.  I 
had  it  slaughtered,  and  sent  all  but  a  few  pounds  of 
the  meat  to  the  sub-chiefs,  as  we  cannot  keep  it  longer 
than  two  days.  "When  we  have  meat  for  dinner,  it  is 
meat  alone,  for  there  is  not  a  solitary  vegetable  to  be 
had  except  cereals.  Yesterday  we  got  a  few  sweet 
potatoes,  but  so  small  that  we  could  not  attempt  to 
peel  them;  and  even  these  are  only  to  be  had  once  a 
fortnight,  as  they  are  not  grown  in  the  valley,  and 
have  to  be  brought  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles.  I  hope 
to  get  some  meal  to-morrow,  when  we  shall  have  the 
substantial  Scotch  fare  of  "porridge  and  milk."  We 
get  abundance  of  the  latter,  as  the  king  has  had  three 


144 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


COWS  set  apart  to  be  milked  every  day  for  our  special 
use.  Firewood  for  the  "  kitclien  "  is  very  scarce,  every 
head-load  being  carried  not  less  than  fourteen  miles; 
there  is  not  a  bush  nearer. 

December  9th.  Three  or  four  hours  each  day  are 
spent  with  Lewanika,  discussing  every  conceivable 
question  relating  to  black  people.  He  is  much  inter- 
ested in  Jamaica,  and  in  all  I  have  told  him  of  that 
country.  Nothing  could  exceed  his  kindness  to  us  so 
far.  I  dined  with  him  yesterday  and  to-day,  in  a  very 
good  attempt  at  English  style,  but  for  the  slave  waiters, 
who  in  bringing  in  or  removing  each  dish  did  so  crouch- 
ing on  their  knees  (no  native  is  allowed  to  stand  in 
Lewanika's  presence),  clapping  their  hands  every  time 
they  were  empty;  and  when  the  repast  was  finished 
the  five  slaves  knelt  in  a  row  at  the  door  and  clapped 
again,  thanking  him  for  being  pleased  to  eat  the  food 
they  had  served. 

I  told  him  to-day  that  I  wished  to  visit  Monsieur 
Coillard  at  his  station,  eighteen  miles  off,  when  he 
offered  me  the  use  of  a  horse,  and  men  to  carry  my 
baggage. 

I  may  mention  here  that  the  burden  of  the  conversa- 
tions I  have  had  with  Lewanika,  and  the  reason  for  his 
having  issued  an  interdict  against  white  men  coming 
into  his  country  except  at  his  discretion,  is  what  he 
considers  the  bad  treatment  he  has  received  at  the 
hands  of  the  British  South  African  Company.  For 
some  years  past  Lewanika  has  been  writing  and  send- 
ing messages  to  the  English  government,  asking  to  be 
included  under  "  British  protectorate,"  as  the  chief  of 
Khama  and  others  farther  south.    To  none  of  his  re- 


BRITISH  PROTECTORATE. 


145 


quests  did  he  receive  an  answer  until  last  year  (1890), 
when  an  agent  of  the  company  was  sent  up  to  inter- 
view him,  and  to  negotiate  for  the  monopoly  of  work- 
ing the  mineral  resources  of  his  country,  giving  him 
to  understand  that  this  meant  being  under  "British 
protectorate,"  as  he  had  so  long  desired,  and  securing 
his  signature  to  the  concession.  The  agent  brought 
presents  which  Lewanika  accepted,  because  he  was 
told  they  were  sent  to  him  by  the  Queen  of  England. 
Whereupon,  as  he  himself  expresses  it,  to  prove  that 
he  was  glad  that  at  last  his  wish  was  gratified  in  being 
under  Her  Majesty's  protection,  and  that  his  heart  was 
white  toward  her,  he  selected  a  pair  of  the  finest  tusks 
of  ivory  in  his  possession  and  handed  them  over  to  the 
representative  of  the  company,  as  a  return  present  to 
the  Queen. 

But  he  looked  in  vain  for  an  acknowledgment  from 
Her  Majesty,  until  he  began  to  suspect  that  all  was  not 
as  he  had  understood  it.  This  feeling  was  encouraged 
by  traders  and  others  coming  to  the  country,  who  told 
him  that  the  English  government  was  in  no  way  re- 
sponsible for  the  actions  of  this  company,  and  that  he 
was  not  yet  under  "British  protectorate."  And  his 
suspicions  were  confirmed  when  a  book  entitled  "  Zam- 
besia"  was  published  in  the  interests  of  the  company 
(June,  1891),  which  contained  the  following  statement 
(and  was  translated  for  him),  page  435: 

"  Mr.  Lochner  and  the  king  parted  in  the  most  ami- 
cable manner,  his  majesty  returning  the  traveler's  pres- 
ent by  the  gift  of  two  fine  tusks  of  ivory,  each  consider- 
ably over  one  hundred  pounds  in  weight  and  over  six 
feet  long.    These  now  ornament  the  board-room  of  the 


146 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


British  South  African  Company  in  their  palatial  office 
in  St.  Swithens'  Lane." 

Now  Lewanika's  rage  was  at  white-heat,  and  he  had 
no  name  for  Englishmen  but  "thieves  and  robbers." 
Unhappily,  Monsieur  Coillard  and  his  colleague  Mon- 
sieur Jalla  were  seriously  compromised  in  the  matter, 
they  having  acted  as  interpreters  for  the  agent,  fondly 
hoping  that  they  were  doing  a  service  to  the  king  and 
country,  but  now  judged  by  the  king  as  abettors  in  the 
attempt  to  sell  his  country.  The  following  letter,  writ- 
ten by  Monsieur  Coillard  to  the  secretary  of  the  British 
South  African  Company,  will  better  explain  his  unenvi- 
able position  at  that  time,  and  the  effects  of  which  re- 
main until  now. 

SEFuiiA,  Barotse  Valley,  Upper  Zambesi, 

June  5,  1891. 

Dr,  B.  Harris, 

Seo'etary  to  the  B.  S.  A.  Co.,  Kimherhj  : 

Sir  :  This  mail  will  bring  you  a  message  from  King  Lewanika, 
and  Mr.  Middleton  will  remit  to  you  from  him  through  me  the  £200 
paid  to  the  king  by  Mr.  Lochner  "  as  the  first  annual  payment  of 
the  Ware  Concession." 

You  are  aware  that  three  years  ago  the  king  applied  for  the  pro- 
tectorate of  the  British  government.  He  was  assured  of  the  friend- 
liness of  the  government,  of  his  request  being  seriously  considered, 
and  that  the  reply  should  be  conveyed  to  him  at  once.  That  long- 
expected  reply  has  never  come. 

Meantime,  Mr.  F.  E.  Lochner  was  last  year  sent  to  this  country  by 
the  B.  S.  A.  Company.  That  powerful  company,  with  royal  charter, 
introduced  to  us  and  recommended  to  us  by  persons  on  whose  judg- 
ment I  could  rely,  strongly  recommended  also  to  King  Lewanika  by 
the  chief  Khama,  who  escorted  it  by  a  special  messenger,  won  at  once 
our  confidence.  On  the  strength  of  the  terms  of  the  treaty  that  "  any 
agreement  with  the  company  was  to  be  considered  in  the  light  of  a 
treaty  or  alliance  made  between  the  nation  (the  Barotse)  an(J  the 


i 

i 


i 

I 


MONSIEUR  COILLARD'S  LETTER. 


147 


Government  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,''''  the  envoy  of  the 
company  overcame  all  difficulties,  the  concession  was  gTanted,  and 
the  treaty  signed. 

The  Rev.  Adolph  Jalla  and  myself  were  f uUy  satisfied  that  the 
transaction  was  on  both  parts  made  in  perfect  good  faith ;  it  is  why 
we  gave  our  support  to  it.  I  was  anxious  to  see  this  unhappy  coun- 
try, a  hot-bed  of  constant  intrigues  and  revolutions,  where  is  so  little 
security  for  property  or  life,  pass  under  the  protection  of  a  strong 
but  wise  and  humane  government ;  and  in  the  fii'm  conviction  that 
this  great  end  had  been  attained,  King  Lewanika's  power  strength- 
ened, and  the  welfare  of  the  people  secure,  I  sincerely  rejoiced  in 
the  signing  of  the  treaty. 

Since  then,  King  Lewanika  has  not  failed  to  take  advice  of  other 
men — men  who  profess  to  know  more  of  these  matters  than  we  do — 
and  the  transaction  was  represented  in  a  very  different  light.  We 
are  accused  of  having  been  bribed  by  the  company,  of  having  sold 
the  whole  of  the  coimtry,  of  having  purposely  withheld  from  the 
king  the  true  nature  and  full  import  of  the  treaty,  and,  in  complicity 
with  the  company's  representative,  of  having  willfully  deceived  the 
king  and  his  people. 

This  the  king,  in  spite  of  his  personal  regard  for  us,  resents  bitterly, 
and  the  words  in  which  his  message  is  framed  give  but  a  faint  idea 
of  the  state  of  his  mind.  All  these  rumors  have  spread  hke  fire,  and 
have  thrown  the  natives  into  the  wildest  state  of  excitement. 

To  this  partly  may  be  attributed  the  shameful  treatment  which 
one  of  the  Primitive  jMethodist  missionaries  has  lately  suffered  at 
the  hands  of  the  people,  under  the  most  trifling  pretext. 

Now,  if  the  aim  of  the  B.  S.  A.  Company  is  what  it  is  represented 
to  the  king,  a  mere  gigantic  mining  and  land- securing  scheme,  and 
if  the  British  Protectorate  has  been  used  simply  as  a  bhnd,  I  emphat- 
ically protest  against  it,  and  regret  if  I  have  un^^•ittingly  been  a  dupe 
and  an  accomplice  in  such  transactions. 

The  fact  that  during  all  the  time  of  his  long-protracted  sojourn  in 
this  country  Mr.  Loehner  was  my  guest,  and  that  of  necessity  I  served 
as  the  only  medium  in  ah  his  intercourse  with  the  king,  has  greatly 
compromised  me  in  the  eyes  of  the  natives,  and  caused  me  to  appear 
to  them  as  being  identified  with  the  company.  They,  of  coui-se,  give 
me  credit  for  far  more  than  my  share  in  the  business. 


148 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Matters  having  assumed  such  a  threatening  aspect,  and  being,  as 
far  as  our  safety  and  our  mission  are  concerned,  in  so  grave  a  posi- 
tion, I  must  dechne  ha^dng  in  the  future  any  more  to  do  in  these 
matters.    Beheve  me,  sir, 

Yours  truly, 

Francis  Coillard. 

The  company  of  course  deny  that  their  agent  treated 
with  Lewanika  imcler  the  guise  of  the  Queen's  represen- 
tative; but  letters  written  by  him  at  the  French  mis- 
sion station  to  the  king,  inclosed  in  envelopes  marked 
0.  H.  M.  S.  (On  Her  Majesty's  Service),  and  from  which 
we  quote,  place  the  matter  beyond  doubt. 

"  I  am  sending  to  you  to  ask  whether  it  is  possible 
for  you  to  let  me  know  approximately  what  date  the 
meeting  regarding  the  establishment  of  British  protec- 
tion, etc.,  may  be  held. 

"  When  I  started  to  come  up  here  it  was  never  thought 
that  there  would  be  any  delay  or  difficulty  about  the 
protectorate,  as  you  had  written  to  the  government 
about  it,  and  the  government  and  the  company  thought 
everything  would  be  settled  on  my  arrival  here. 

"  Please  also  to  remember  always  that  I  should  never 
have  come  up  here  if  you  had  not  written  to  the  Eng- 
lish government  for  protection. 

If  you  and  your  counselors  accept  the  protection 
of  the  Queen  of  England,  etc.,  the  company  will  send 
traders  into  your  country  who  will  deal  fairly  with 
you  and  your  people,  the  same  as  is  being  done  now  at 
Khama's  town." 

Lewanika  forwarded  an  emphatic  protest  to  Her 
Majesty's  Secretary  of  State  in  August,  1891,  against 
the  concession,  and  is  now  looking  anxiously  for  a  re- 


A  LETTER  FROM  LEIVANIKA. 


U9 


ply.  My  excuse  for  referring  to  this  matter,  apart  from 
the  personal  entreaties  of  Lewanika  himself  diiriug  my 
stay  at  Lialui  that  I  might  give  publicity  to  his  griev- 
ances on  returning  to  Europe,  is  the  following  letter, 
dispatched  to  me  by  special  runners,  overtaking  us 
Tv^hile  on  my  journey  down  the  Zambesi : 

Lialui,  Jan.  16,  1892. 

To  Br.  Johnston : 

King  Lewanika  hopes  you  will  not  forget  him  and  his  wishes,  but 
trusts  you  wiU  use  all  the  complaints  and  all  the  desires  he  has  ex- 
pressed to  you  verbally  to  his  advantage  and  that  of  his  people  and 
country.  And  fmther,  the  king  commands  and  authorizes  you  here- 
by to  make  known  and  to  publish  all  that  he  has  made  known  to  you 
himself ;  and  fui'ther,  to  publish  his  determination,  and  that  of  his 
people,  that  no  force  must  be  used  by  any  person  or  persons  to  en- 
force his  submission  to  terms  he  abhors,  and  which  he  did  not  under- 
stand, and  which  he  was  led  into  through  ignorance  and  deceit ;  and 
if  any  force  (as  is  threatened  illegally)  is  so  used  pending  any  answer 
he  may  receive  direct  from  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  and  her  govern- 
ment, it  will  be  resisted  by  force,  as  he  wiU  treat  it  purely  as  rob- 
bery, and  the  consequences  wiH  be  upon  such  attacking  forces. 

And  the  king  wishes  it  to  be  clearly  understood  that  he  truly  did 
not  know  that  it  was  a  company  to  work  aU  the  resom'ces  of  his 
country;  but,  on  the  contrary,  he  was  repeatedly  told  that  it  was  an 
embassy  from  the  Queen  Victoria  of  England.  But  in  this  they  de- 
ceived him,  and  when  they  asked  where  'were  the  boundaries  of  his 
rule,  he  did  not  know  it  was  to  mean  the  country  in  which  they  were 
to  have  the  sole  rights  of  working,  but  they  told  him  it  was  to  define 
the  extent  of  his  country  to  be  under  the  protection  of  the  Queen. 
But  as  to  rights  to  work  resources  as  written,  it  was  not  so  ;  he  never 
gave  away  the  rights  to  work  solely  the  resources  of  his  coimtiy,  and 
in  proof  of  this,  aU  who  know  his  feelings  on  the  subject  and  are  at 
all  acquainted  with  the  king  know  weU  that  his  cliief  ambition  is  to 
be  instructed  in  all  such  practical  knowledge  so  that  he  can  work  the 
resources  of  his  country  by  himself  and  his  people ;  and  he  intends 
to  do  so,  as  he  will  not  recognize  any  bond  obtained  from  him  by 


150 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ignorance  and  deceit.  Moreover,  he  gave  his  word  on  the  matter, 
simply  as  he  gave  it  to  Harry  Ware,  i.e.,  to  seek  gold,  and,  on  find- 
ing it,  to  acquaint  the  king  with  the  fact,  when  areas  of  land  would 
be  defined  where  they  could  work  solely;  and  when  he  and  his  people 
had  learned  the  methods  employed,  he  with  his  people  would  work 
for  themselves  outside  of  those  areas  that  had  been  allotted  to  the 
company.  He  never  intended,  he  did  not  consent,  and  he  will  not 
consent,  to  part  with  the  resources  of  his  country.  Enghshmen  he 
likes,  and  his  pohtical  preferences  are  all  in  favor  of  England )  but 
the  using  of  theii'  Queen's  name  to  hide  their  evil  designs  he  cannot 
understand.  If  the  Queen  really  wished  his  land,  his  rights,  and 
resources,  would  she  not  send  direct?  A  treaty  of  friendship  with 
the  Queen  dii'ect  does  not  surely  mean  that  he  is  to  be  weakened  at 
all ;  and  if  all  these  industrial  rights  of  his  are  parted  with  forever, 
then  what  inducement  remains  to  induce  them  to  learn  anything  of 
industrial  arts  ?  The  king  says  he  feels  sure  that  if  all  these  things 
can  be  known  in  England  as  the  words  of  the  king  himself,  then  the 
Enghsh  Queen  and  her  people  will  not  permit  such  deceit,  mean 
advantage  of  ignorance,  to  be  done  in  their  name  and  with  their 
approval. 

The  king  says  deceit  hke  this  is  robbery,  not  friendship,  and  it  must 
be  treated  as  robbery,  and  so  has  fully  determined,  and  his  people 
support  liim  in  this.  Moreover,  those  who  wish  to  come  to  his  coun- 
try must  come  with  sincere  feelings  toward  him  and  his  people,  and 
of  supporting  the  king  in  maintaining  his  rights  to  the  resources  of 
his  land.  He  wishes  them  to  come,  but  on  terms  of  submission  to 
his  law,  and  of  agreement  to  do  nothing  disadvantageous  to  him, 
his  people,  or  his  land,  or  the  rights  appertaining  thereto,  either  by 
word  or  letter,  or  by  deed — such  bond  or  agi^eement  to  be  in  writing, 
any  refusal  to  be  taken  as  opposing  the  interests  of  the  king.  Apart 
from  this.  King  Lewanika  does  not  wish  it  to  be  understood  or  thought 
that  by  this  he  closes  his  land  against  white  people ;  by  no  means ; 
but  this  insures  and  secures  to  him  people  who  will  help  him  and 
teach  him,  rather  than  those  who  only  seek  to  deceive  him  and  try  to 
despoil  him  of  all  he  possesses  of  value.  The  king  wishes  to  cordially 
welcome  all  who  come  willing  to  teach  and  to  help  him  and  his  peo- 
ple to  know  and  understand  the  works  and  industries  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  civilization  j  he  wants  secular  as  well  as  reUgious  instruction, 


LIGHT  ON  THE  SUBJECT. 


151 


i.e.,  works,  trade,  religion,  and  education ;  and  if  they  are  not  disin- 
terested teachers,  but  wish  also  to  benefit  themselves  whilst  benefit- 
ing others,  the  king  says  it  is  well,  as  might  be  agreed  upon but  they 
must  submit  to  the  king,  his  authority,  his  rights,  and  his  powers : 
this  is  the  one  bond  he  will  demand  of  them. 

Further,  the  king  says  it  may  be  said,  on  behalf  of  the  company,  that 
he  proved  his  full  consent  to  them  about  the  concession,  by  giving 
them  two  of  the  finest  tusks  of  ivory  seen  here  for  a  long  time,  each 
weighing  one  hundi-ed  and  five  pounds.  Now  he  wishes  it  to  be 
thoroughly  understood,  and  to  be  pubUshed  as  his  own  statement, 
that  these  tusks  were  not  given  with  any  intention  or  knowledge  of 
clinching  an  agreement  of  which  he  knew  notliing  about ;  but,  as 
they  insisted  that  they  were  an  embassy  sent  by  the  Queen,  and  that 
the  presents  they  brought  him  were  also  sent  by  the  Queen,  so  he 
accepted  their  presents  and  gave  them  the  two  aforesaid  tusks  as  a 
present  to  the  Queen,  as  a  proof  of  his  fi-iendly  feeling  toward  Her 
Majesty,  and  the  Queen  was  to  accept  his  exchange  product  as  proof 
thereof.  Now,  these  tusks,  because  of  their  extraordinary  size  and 
beauty,  were  worth  the  exceptional  price  of  one  poimd  sterling  per 
pound  weight,  therefore  value  £210,  or  more  than  the  value  of  the 
presents  they  brought  to  him.    All  this  he  wishes  to  be  well  known. 

Now,  in  conclusion,  the  king  says  he  trusts  you  imphcitly  j  he  sees 
your  heart  is  well  toward  him,  even  though  you  did  not  care  to  say 
much  here ;  the  king  says  a  man's  heart  always  speaks  true,  and  you 
have  always  shown  great  sympathy  toward  him  and  his  affau's.  And 
he  says  that  if  he  really  receives  any  practical  help  from  you  on  these 
matters,  you  will  receive  from  him  and  his  nation  their  eternal  thanks 
and  gi'atitude.  And  the  king  further  says  that  if  God  should  call  him 
away,  nevertheless  his  son  and  others  may  remain  and  remember 
all  they  shall  owe  to  you.  He  prays  you  a  safe  jom-ney  and  safe  and 
joj-ful  return  to  your  family. 

Written  at  the  dictation  and  by  command  of 

The  King  Lewanika. 

To  Dr.  J.  Johnston, 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


LIFE  IN  THE  BAEOTSE  VALLEY. 


The  heroic  Frenchman. — A  model  mission  station. — Blighted  plans. — A 
touching  story. — Thrilling  tales. — Truth  first. — Missionary  tidings. — 
Koreans. — Amazing  statements. — Futile  hopes. — Primitive  Methodist 
party. — Home  committees. — Virtually  a  prisoner. — Marotsi  handicrafts. 
— In  the  lekhothla. — ''A  sound  of  revelry  by  night." — A  perpetual  vapor- 
bath*. — A  bloodthirsty  queen. — Display  of  fireworks. — New  Year's  Day. — 
First  native  wedding  on  the  Zambesi. — Amused  skepticism. — Ladies  take 
a  back  seat. — Magic-lantern  exhibition. — Silence  reigns. — The  Mashuku- 
limibwe. — Taking  their  measm-e. 


ECEMBER  lOtli.    Mounted  on  a  fine  black  horse 


and  escorted  by  a  guide,  also  riding,  I  set  out  for 
Sefula.  The  path  lay  southward  across  the  plain.  We 
passed  numerous  marshes  swarming  with  flocks  of  wild 
geese  and  ducks,  at  times  so  near  that  we  could  have 
knocked  them  over  with  a  stone;  but  here  stones  are 
as  rare  as  the  "  roc-egg."  In  two  hours  and  a  half  we 
reached  the  mission  station.  It  may  be  imagined  with 
what  delight  I  grasped  the  hand  of  the  noble  and  heroic 
Frenchman  of  whom  I  had  heard  so  much.  The  warm 
greeting  was  mutual.  I  was  introduced  to  Miss  Kiener, 
a  Swiss  lady  teacher,  also  to  Mr.  Waddell,  the  Scotch 
carpenter.  The  station  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  pla- 
teau at  the  extreme  end  of  the  low  range  of  hills  run- 
ning along  the  east  side  of  the  great  valley.  It  might 
well  lay  claim  to  the  title  of  a  model  mission  station,  it 


152 


A  MODEL  MISSION  STATION. 


153 


is  so  fully  equipped  with  every  appliance  for  instruct- 
ing the  natives,  not  only  in  divine  things,  but  also  how 
to  improve  their  social  condition.  So  far,  however, 
these  privileges  have  been  but  poorly  appreciated,  as 
the  people  know  it  would  be  little  short  of  a  crime  to 
attempt  any  improvement  in  their  dwellings. 

The  station  contains  a  fine  saw-mill  with  six  span 
of  oxen  for  the  motor  power,  brick-making  machines, 
smithy  with  patent  forge,  miner's  workshop,  fitted  with 
every  tool  the  mechanic  requires,  from  a  brad-awl  to  a 
turning-lathe — every  building  on  the  station,  including 
the  trim  little  church,  displaying  skilled  workmanship. 
I  was  grieved  to  find  Monsieur  Coillard  in  a  very  low 
state  of  health  and  depressed  in  spirits.  More  than  or- 
dinary trials  and  sorrows  have  fallen  to  the  lot  of  this 
faithful  servant  of  Grod,  not  only  in  the  dark  outlook  of 
the  mission's  future  and  the  difficulties  that  beset  the 
cause,  dearer  than  life  to  him,  but  in  the  sore  bereave- 
ment he  sustained,  but  a  few  weeks  ago,  in  the  death 
of  Madame  Coillard,  the  devoted  companion  and  help- 
meet of  his  thirty  years'  labors  in  Africa. 

On  Sunday  I  spoke  through  Monsieur  Coillard  to  a 
good  congregation  of  the  rawest-looking  lot  of  natives  I 
have  ever  met  inside  a  place  of  worship.  It  was  no  easy 
matter  to  speak  to  such  people,  for,  with  the  exception 
of  the  boys  employed  or  at  school  on  the  station,  but 
few,  if  any,  have  as  yet  (after  years  of  unremitting  toil) 
manifested  even  interest  in,  far  less  ability  to  grasp, 
the  most  elementary  truths  of  the  gospel.  They  listen 
quietly  and  respectfully,  but  there  it  seems  to  end. 

Monsieur  Coillard,  in  describing  the  present  condition 
of  the  work,  says :  "  It  is  now  seven  years  since  our  exi3e- 


154 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


dition  crossed  the  Zambesi  and  the  mission  was  started 
— a  long  time  in  one's  short  life ;  and  yet  we  are  still 
passing  through  that  arduous  and  uninteresting  period 
of  breaking  the  fallow  ground  and  sowing  the  seed. 
"We  anxiously  watch  for  the  appearance  of  the  little 
cloud  and  the  showers  of  blessings  which  it  shall  bring. 
Sometimes  a  little  mist  in  the  atmosphere  has  filled  our 
hearts  with  hope ;  then  the  mist  vanished  away,  and  the 
sun  shone  in  a  brazen  sky,  fiercer  and  more  scorching 
than  ever.  ^  He  that  observeth  the  wind  shall  not  sow, 
and  he  that  regardeth  the  clouds  shall  not  reap  ! '  We 
remembered  it.  The  Lord  has  given  us  grace  to  toil 
on,  plow  and  sow,  and  expect  against  all  appearances. 
We  know  that  the  seed  is  not  lost.  Silently,  secretly, 
under  the  clods  it  germinates,  and  the  first  shower 
shall  adorn  with  verdure  our  parched  gTound.  The 
time  shall  come ;  therefore  we  faint  not. 

"  These  last  three  years  have  been  to  us  more  by  far 
than  all  our  missionary  life  years  of  toil,  trials,  and 
suffering.  The  social  and  political  state  of  the  country 
has  been  greatly  disturbed  by  internal  causes,  and  the 
advent  of  the  British  South  Africa  Company.  Sick- 
ness and  death  have  thinned  our  ranks  as  quickly  as 
we  had  the  joy  of  recei^-ing  helpers  from  Euroj^e,  at 
gi^eat  expense,  and  we  have  seen  our  brightest  hopes 
and .  our  dearest  plans  blighted  and  dashed  to  the 
ground." 

Such  is  the  aspect  of  the  most  faithful  mission  work 
in  reaVity.  Of  romance  we  have  already  had  far  too 
much  from  visionaries,  who  deem  it  essential  to  write 
such  accounts  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  up  the  inter- 
est, particularly  if  they  are  not  guaranteed  support, 


A  TOUCHING  STORY. 


155 


but  have  to  depend  upon  casual  voluntary  contribu- 
tions. In  a  published  letter  of  one  who  was  stranded 
in  Barotse  a  few  years  ago,  but  ultimately  got  out  to 
the  West  Coast  by  attaching  himself  to  the  caravan  of 
a  Portuguese  trader,  we  read : 

"  At  one  place,  among  the  Bakuti,  it  was  remarkable 
how  the  people  seemed  to  open  their  ears  and  hearts 
and  gave  their  time.  I  spent  ten  days  among  them. 
The  first  five  I  went  among  the  villages,  having  large 
meetings,  at  which  I  told  them  of  Jesus  and  His  love. 
As  I  could  speak  a  dialect  which  many  of  them  under- 
stood, I  could  explain  myself  quite  freely  to  them. 
They  became  very  much  interested  in  what  they  heard 
me  say,  and  they  said  among  themselves,  ^  We  are  only 
tiring  the  white  man  out  by  coming  day  after  day  to 
our  villages ;  we  will  go  to  him.'  So,  for  the  last  five 
days,  we  had  all-day  meetings — a  most  extraordinary 
time,  I  might  say,  for  Africa.  They  kept  up  the  dis- 
cussions among  themselves,  and  before  I  left  at  least 
two  of  the  men  stood  up  in  the  midst  of  their  tribe,  and 
declared  for  Jesus  before  all  their  friends,  in  their  own 
simple  language.  They  acknowledged  that  the  things 
we  said  to  them  were  true,  and  they  renounced  their 
superstitions  and  fetich  worship.  Since  then  I  have 
heard  that  they  are  still  longing  for  a  return  visit  from 
me,  or  that  some  other  white  teacher  should  go  to  their 
country." 

A  very  touching  story,  if  it  were  true !  But  every 
laborer  of  experience  will  bear  me  out  when  I  state  that 
there  is  not  an  authenticated  instance  on  record  of  a 
savage  genuinely  turning  to  God  or  renouncing  "  their 
superstitions  and  fetich  worship  "  until  he  has  been  many 


156 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


montlis,  and  too  often  years,  under  instruction.  Many 
earnest  men  who  have  toiled  long  in  breaking  up  the 
fallow  ground  have  been  called  away  from  the  sphere 
of  their  labor  without  being  permitted  to  see  even  the 
blade,  far  less  the  ear,  that  foretells  a  probable  harvest ; 
and  satisfied  not  to  reason  why,  but  to  obey. 

The  mischief  created  by  such  communications  as  the 
one  quoted  above  is  incalculable,  giving  a  totally  false 
conception  of  the  natui*e  of  the  work,  and  filling  the 
minds  of  enthusiastic  missionary  volunteers  with  the 
idea  that  the  Central  Africa  natives  "are  ready  and 
waiting  to  receive  the  gospel."  The  actual  facts  being 
the  very  antipodes  of  such  statements,  the  effect  is  often 
to  drive  the  most  sanguine  to  the  opposite  extreme. 
Nor  are  the  writers  of  such  articles  alone  to  blame; 
constant  demands  are  made  upon  them  by  their  home 
committees  and  supporters  to  provide  something  spe- 
cially thrilling  for  their  "  quarterly  "  or  "  annual "  meet- 
ing. But  as  the  routine  of  a  well-established  mission 
station  seldom  furnishes  material  for  "  thrilling "  tales, 
some  must  be  made  to  order.  Nor  is  this  merchandise 
in  such  missionary  reports  hkely  to  cease  while  the 
feeling  exists  that  was  expressed  by  a  wealthy  Christian 
philanthropist,  whose  name  is  often  to  the  front  with 
large  donations,  and  who  spoke  not  only  for  himself, 
but  as  representing  the  monied  subscribers  to  missions, 
when  he  said  to  a  friend  of  mine,  "  I  give  only  to  suc- 
cess." The  following  extract  is  from  The  Truths  edited 
by  Dr.  James  Brooks,  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  bearing 
upon  this  subject,  though  referring  to  another  field : 

"  It  is  never  pleasant  to  write  of  those  who  have  gone  . 
to  the  heathen  with  the  gospel,  unless  they  can  be  men- 


KOREANS. 


157 


tioned  in  terms  of  affectionate  commendation.  But 
there  is  danger-  that  the  church  at  home  may  be  misled 
by  false  reports  of  marvelous  success ;  and  even  if  the 
facts  are  discouraging,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the 
truth  is  expedient.  It  is  so  delightful  to  believe  that 
all  the  missionaries  are  thoroughly  loyal  to  the  Word 
of  God,  and  wholly  devoted  to  the  work  of  saving  the 
lost,  and  that  pagans  and  Mohammedans  are  standing 
with  outstretched  hands,  eager  to  receive  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  the  moment  He  is  presented  to  them ;  but 
such,  it  is  sad  enough  to  say,  is  not  the  case.  .  .  .  Now 
comes  a  letter  from  Mr.  M.  C.  Fenwick,  missionary  in 
Wonsau,  Korea,  with  a  request  that  public  use  shall  be 
made  of  it  to  undeceive  Christians  in  America.  He  also 
sends  a  copy  of  The  Chinese  Becorder  and  Missionary 
Journal.,  published  in  Shanghai,  and  edited  by  Rev.  L. 
N.  Wheeler,  D.D.  It  contains  a  communication  from 
Mr.  Fenwick  in  reply  to  the  following  statement  that 
went  the  rounds  of  the  religious  press  in  this  country : 
'  Korea  presents  a  striking  illustration  of  the  irresistible 
advance  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  One  of  the  most 
remarkable  works  of  grace  known  in  modern  missions 
is  that  among  the  Koreans.  Without  having  heard  or 
seen  a  missionary,  thousands  of  people  have  heard  of 
Christ  and  turned  to  the  service  of  God.  These  con- 
verts are  the  fruit  of  the  circulation  of  copies  of  the 
New  Testament  by  the  Rev.  John  Ross,  late  missionary 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland  in  Manchuria.' 

"  Of  this  marvelous  story  Mr.  Fenwick  says :  '  It  is  a 
grave  doubt  in  the  minds  of  a  majority  of  Protestant 
missionaries  in  Korea  whether  there  are  fifty  Koreans  in 
the  whole  country  who  have  been  "  born  again."  Some 


158 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


are  persuaded  that  there  are  not  even  a  dozen.  Con- 
cerning the  New  Testament  that  is  said  to  be  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Rev.  John  Eoss,  but  which  is  really  the 
production  of  Koreans,  under  the  du'ection  of  a  Mr. 
Mclntyre  and  Mr.  Eoss,  no  Korean  has  yet  been  found 
who  has  any  conception  of  its  meaning.  There  are 
many  words  in  this  production  foreign  to  the  Korean 
languages,  and  that  which  is  Korean  is  by  no  means  a 
translation  of  the  "Word  of  God — not  even  in  the  "  con- 
cept." Some  thought  perhaps  it  might  be  used  on  the 
border  between  China  and  Korea,  but  it  has  been  ac- 
corded a  fair  trial  there,  and  failed  to  find  a  man  who 
could  understand  its  funny  sounds.' 

"In  the  letter  just  received  he  more  completely  ex- 
poses the  deception  too  often  practiced  on  the  Church 
in  so-called  Christian  lands,  perhaps  in  the  exercise  of 
the  Jesuitical  principle  that  the  end  justifies  the  means. 

"  The  missionary  literature  of  the  day,  taken  as  a 
whole,  is  the  most  deceptive  writing  I  see.  ...  A  case 
in  point :  A  missionary  in  Korea,  representing  a  small 

committee  in  composed  of  business  men  united 

to  send  the  gospel  to  Korea,  made  his  annual  report, 
truthfully  setting  forth  the  actual  state  of  affairs  on 
the  field  as  he  found  them.  The  report  was  promptly 
rejected,  and  one  of  striking  cases  of  interest,  conver- 
sions, etc.,  demanded.  He  complied  with  the  request 
under  protest,  but  the  report  was  declared  to  be  the 
proper  thing,  and  given  a  wide  circulation. 

"  Two  years  ago  a  man  named  [perhaps  it  is  well 

to  omit  the  name]  returned  from  this  field  to  America, 
and  has  since  been  spreading  his  exaggerated  stories 
throughout  the  churches  in  the  United  States.  .  .  .  Let 


AMAZING  STATEMENTS. 


159 


me  give  you  an  account  of  his  converting  work  in  a 
village  where  I  afterward  lived  for  six  months,  as  given 
me  by  one  whom  he  baptized  on  the  occasion  now 
mentioned.    A  native  who  received  mission  money  was 

directed  by  Mr.  to  get  together  at  least  forty  or 

fifty,  and  he  would  be  along  at  such  a  time.  Rather 
perplexed  at  the  number  demanded,  the  native  set  to 
work  to  gather  his  friends,  but  could  muster  only 
nine. 

"  The  missionary  arrived,  and  after  exhorting  at  con- 
siderable length,  asked  the  natives  to  remove  their  hats. 
'  What  for ! '  said  one.  '  Oh,  never  mind,'  coaxingly 
pleaded  the  native  friend ;  ^  take  off  your  hats ; '  and 
with  the  politeness  so  characteristic  of  the  Easterner, 

they  removed  their  hats,  and  then  the  Eev.  Mr.  , 

D.D.,  administered  baptism  to  these  nine  men,  none  of 
whom,  with  the  possible  exception  of  one,  he  had  ever 
seen. 

The  letter  contains  statements  equally  amazing  and 
humiliating,  but  enough  has  been  said  to  put  Christians 
on  their  guard  against  believing  evenjtliing  that  comes 
to  them  from  the  foreign  field.  No  doubt  this  habit  of 
story-telling  arises  from  the  error,  held  by  nearly  all, 
that  it  is  the  mission  of  the  Church  to  convert  the 
world.  Hence  it  seems  to  be  necessar}',  in  order  to 
arouse  and  sustain  enthusiasm  and  to  procure  funds, 
to  tell  big  tales  of  wholesale  conversions  and  to  repre- 
sent the  heathen  as  eager  to  accept  the  gospel.  But 
'  no  lie  is  of  the  truth '  (1  John  ii.  21),  and  no  lie  is  harm- 
less. It  is  sure  to  inflict  its  own  penalty  in  due  time; 
and  the  Church  cannot  continue  to  act  under  the  delu- 
sion that  its  business  is  to  convert  the  world,  without 


160 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


experiencing  some  day  a  dreadful  reaction  from  its 
futile  hopes." 

We  claim  for  the  lonely  and  sorely  tried  workers  in 
the  Matebele  country,  for  Monsieur  Coillard  and  his  co- 
workers in  the  Barotse  Valley,  and  for  others  we  could 
mention,  that,  while  they  have  no  visible  successes  to 
report,  but,  on  the  contrary,  mourn  over  the  years  as 
they  roll  by  without  realizing  their  desire  among  the 
heathen,  they  are  foundation  workers,  toiling  deep 
down  in  superstition  and  gross  darkness,  and  spend- 
ing their  lives  almost  unknown,  amid  dangers  and  dis- 
couragement, without  a  soul  to  cheer  by  responding  to 
the  message  they  bring,  receiving  no  sympathy  from 
their  surroundings,  and  hundreds  of  miles,  perhaps, 
from  the  nearest  fellow-laborer. 

There  were  many  weary  months  of  jeopardy  and 
labor  to  the  divers  as  they  toiled  fathoms  deep  beneath 
the  Forth,  blasting  rocks  and  building  the  massive 
masonry  that  was  to  be  the  foundation  of  one  of  the 
greatest  engineering  achievements  of  the  age — the 
Forth  Bridge.  Had  these  toilers  in  mud  and  stone  and 
flood,  whose  uninteresting  and,  to  the  upper  world,  in- 
visible work,  which  was  accomplished  slowly  but  surely 
— in  many  instances  at  the  sacrifice,  and  in  every  case 
at  the  peril,  of  their  lives — no  honor  or  recognition  on 
the  day  when  the  structure  was  completed ! 

It  is  in  such  circumstances  that  these  servants  of 
God  grapple  with  untold  obstacles,  determined  that,  as 
far  as  it  is  in  their  power,  the  groundwork  of  the 
future  building,  which  they  may  not  see,  shall  be  well 
and  truly  laid.  But  such  are  not  the  men  whose  ser- 
vices receive  full  recognition  at  the  hands  of  their  fel- 


PRIMITIVE  METHODIST  PARTY.  161 

lows ;  these  workers  are  often  followed  by  mere  surface 
men,  who  by  their  reports  elicit  the  practical  sympathy 
of  those  who  "  give  only  to  success." 

What  we  contend  for  is  that  the  truest  and  most 
genuine  missions  of  the  present  day  are  those  which 
must  be  sought  out,  for  rarely  are  their  claims  pub- 
lished to  the  world,  except  among  the  few;  while,  on 
the  other  hand,  many  a  man  whose  mission  is  super- 
ficial resorts  to  sensational  and  questionable  advertise- 
ments of  his  work. 

Let  the  truth  be  told,  however  unpalatable,  for  no 
real  advantage  is  gained,  in  the  long  run,  by  false  re- 
ports, and  societies  and  friends  who  sustain  these  mis- 
sionaries are  placed  in  a  wrong  position,  leading  event- 
ually to  great  disappointment. 

Let  the  truth  be  told,  also,  for  the  sake  of  those  who 
offer  themselves  for  mission  work,  that  there  may  be 
a  wholesome  sifting  of  the  numerous  bands  of  young 
men  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  who  are  eager  to 
give  up  business,  etc.,  to  go  to  the  "regions  beyond" 
and  preach  the  gospel ;  while  the  solid  men  would  only 
be  strengthened  in  their  purpose  to  devote  their  lives 
to  a  cause  worthy  of  their  best  talents  and  highest 
attainments. 

Camped  near  Sefula  is  Mr.  B  ,  representing  the 

English  Primitive  Methodists,  with  Mrs.  B   and 

child,  having  just  arrived  here  for  the  second  time, 
expecting  to  get  permission  from  Lewanika  to  settle  in 
some  part  of  his  country,  or  be  allowed  to  go  through 
to  the  ]\Iashukulumbwe  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  mission  center  for  his  society.  The  king  is  anything 
but  favorable  to  the  proposition,  and  far  from  friendly 


162  REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 

toward  the  party ;  nor  is  lie  likely  to  grant  the  request ; 
on  the  contrary,  he  emphatically  declared  only  to-day 
that  "  they  had  better  go  back,  for  they  are  not  wanted." 
Poor  B — — !  I  am  sorry  for  him,  but  still  more  so  for 
his  wife  and  delicate  little  girl,  whom  he  takes  about 
with  him  in  the  wagon,  trekking  these  many  months 
exposed  to  all  the  privations  incidental  to  such  a  life 
in  such  a  country — a  most  injudicious  proceeding, 
surely,  judging  from  a  human  standpoint.  Are  com- 
mittees at  home  not  aware  of  the  hazard  and  positive 
cruelty  of  committing  a  whole  family  to  pioneer  work 
where  sturdy  single  men  have  all  they  can  do  to  hold 
their  own  against  the  hardships  presenting  themselves 
on  every  hand!  While  for  all  this — some  three  years 
of  suffering  and  at  the  expense  of  thousands  of  pounds, 
not  to  speak  of  the  shattered  health  of  mother  and 
child — simply  nothing  has  been  accomplished  so  far, 
and  even  less  prospect  of  doing  anything  than  when 
they  first  set  out.  One  cannot  but  admire  their  hero- 
ism and  self-sacrifice;  and  as  they  are  determined  to 
wait  at  all  costs  rather  than  face  the  criticisms  of  the 
society  at  home  with  a  report  of  failure,  let  us  hope  the 
king  may  yet  relent  and  give  them  the  road.    I  have 

urged  Mr.  B         in  the  meantime  to  send  home  his 

sick  wife  and  child. 

The  saddest  feature  of  the  whole  is  the  fact  that  while 

Mr.  B  is  waiting  at  Sefula  without  even  a  hope  of 

going  farther,  a  map  is  published  in  England  entitled 
"Map  of  Africa  Showing  all  the  Protestant  Missions 
Working  in  the  *Dark  Continent.'  Prepared  from 
a  list  of  African  Missions  in  ^  Africa  Rediviva.' "  The 
localities  of  stations  are  indicated  by  white  figures  on 


VIRTUALLY  A  PRISONER. 


163 


a  black  ground,  and  north  of  the  Zambesi,  in  the  center 
of  the  Mashukulumbwe  country,  we  find  "23."  On 
reference  to  the  hst  of  societies  we  find  this  to  be  the 
number  representing  the  Primitive  Methodist  mission. 
But  there  is  not,  and  never  has  been,  a  mission  of  any 
kind  in  that  country ;  the  "  23 "  in  this  instance  only 
points  to  where  the  party  referred  to  above  ivant  to  go. 

December  21st.  We  returned  to  Lialui  on  the  14th, 
and  I  have  been  busy  every  day  visiting  and  prescrib- 
ing for  the  sick  of  the  village,  including  nine  of  the 
king's- wives.  There  is  a  drawback  to  this  doctoring  of 
his  people,  wishing,  as  I  do,  to  get  away  and  proceed 
on  my  journey ;  he  may  detain  me  longer  than  is  agree- 
able. However  kindly  the  white  traveler  may  be  re- 
ceived and  treated  by  a  powerful  heathen  potentate  like 
Lewanika,  he  is  soon  made  to  realize  that  his  position 
as  a  guest  is  virtually  that  of  a  prisoner,  for  he  cannot 
leave  the  country,  nor  dare  a  porter  lift  one  of  his  loads, 
except  by  the  king's  permission. 

The  romance  of  life  among  the  Marotsi,  or  any  other 
savage  tribe,  is  of  short  duration  to  the  European,  pass- 
ing off  after  the  first  few  days.  He  is  interested  in  ob- 
serving their  manners  and  customs — the  native  smithy, 
for  instance,  where  during  the  early  hours  of  the  morn- 
ing blacksmiths  are  at  work  smelting  iron  from  the 
crude  ore  by  means  of  charcoal  and  clay  crucibles; 
forging  spears,  arrow-heads,  battle-axes,  knives,  and 
snutf-spoons,  with  the  most  original  and  rude  appli- 
ances, the  anvil  being  a  flat  stone  and  the  hammer  a 
conical  block  of  iron  without  a  handle.  Under  a  shed 
is  a  group  of  men  busy  making  "  karosses  "  (blankets), 
by  sewing  together,  with  threads  prepared  from  the 


164 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


sinews  of  antelopes,  skins  of  leopards,  jackals,  tiger-cats, 
and  other  wild  animals.  I  may  add  that  the  sewing  is 
not  done  with  an  ordinary  needle,  but  by  means  of  a 
plain  spike  of  iron  brought  to  a  fine  point  at  one  end  by 
rubbing  on  a  stone,  and  using  it  as  a  shoemaker  does 
his  awl,  piercing  the  holes  through  which  the  thread  is 
passed,  each  stitch  being  made  fast  by  a  turn  in  the 
loop,  as  in  working  a  buttonhole.  The  kaross-maker 
carries  his  needle  in  a  wooden  sheath,  highly  ornamented 
with  carving  and  plaited  brass  wire,  and  suspended  from 
his  neck.  As  some  karosses  have  over  a  hundred  yards 
of  seams,  containing  twelve  to  fifteen  stitches  to  the 
inch,  the  length  of  time  required  to  complete  a  blanket 
may  be  imagined. 

In  another  corner  wood-carvers  are  hewing,  from 
blocks  of  wood,  bowls,  milk-jugs,  mush  dishes,  etc.,  with 
various-sized  native  hatchets,  a  bent  knife-blade  serving 
as  a  scoop,  chipping  away  morning  after  morning,  for 
weeks  and  months,  before  a  single  household  utensil  is 
completed ;  but  had  these  vessels  been  turned  in  a  lathe, 
the  symmetry  could  scarcely  be  more  perfect. 

Here  also  the  basket-maker's  art  may  be  seen  in  per- 
fection, and  excelling  anything  produced  by  basket- 
factories  of  civilized  countries,  for  scarcely  would  our 
workers  in  basketry  undertake  to  weave  an  impervious 
vessel  from  reedy  grass,  to  carry  five  or  six  gallons  of 
water. 

In  the  evening,  with  much  pomp  and  ceremony,  pre- 
ceded by  his  band  of  drums  and  marimbas,  his  majesty 
comes  out  to  the  lekhothla,  where  hundreds  and  some- 
times thousands  of  his  subjects  are  gathered,  and  kneel- 
ing in  their  usual  semicircles  round  the  spot  where  the 


IN  THE  LEKHOTHLA. 


165 


royal  mat  is  spread.  A  second  chair  is  placed  by  that 
of  the  king's,  and  the  white  guest  is  invited  to  sit  with 
him  while  court  is  being  held.  The  business  on  hand 
is  perhaps  a  case  of  witchcraft,  poisoning,  or  cattle-steal- 
ing ;  or  it  may  be  to  receive  some  of  the  many  bands 
of  natives  belonging  to  distant  tribes  as  far  north  as 
Bangweola  and  south  to  Lake  Ngami,  but  who  occupy 
land  supposed  to  be  within  Lewanika's  dominions,  and 
by  these  delegates  send  the  annual  tribute  he  claims. 
In  this  way  the  opportunity  was  afforded  me  of  seeing 
representatives  of  several  tribes  that  are  but  little  known 
to  the  civilized  world.  This  over,  the  king  returns  to 
his  wattle-and-daub  palace  in  state,  and  I  to  my  hut. 
Would  that  it  were  to  spend  a  quiet  night !  But  not 
while  ancestral  worship  is  the  religion,  if  religion  it  may 
be  called,  of  the  Marotsi  nation,  can  be  expected  other 
than  "  a  sound  of  revelry  by  night,"  their  theory  being 
that,  although  their  ancestors  have  departed  this  life, 
their  spirits  still  haunt  the  scenes  of  their  earthly  career, 
potent  to  wreak  vengeance  on  those  who  may  have  in- 
curred their  displeasure.  Although  Lewanika  regularly 
visits  the  tombs  of  his  predecessors  to  pray  to  them, 
and  is  liberal  in  his  gifts  of  oxen  as  peace-offerings,  his 
conscience  reminds  him  that  some  of  them  did  not,  to 
say  the  least,  receive  fair  play  at  his  hands  on  the  occa- 
sion of  their  exit  from  the  body,  and  he  dreads  their 
nocturnal  visits ;  hence  the  necessity  for  the  drums  and 
noise  to  keep  them  at  bay. 

For  several  days  a  party  of  Mambundas — a  hill  tribe 
and  the  recognized  sorcerers  of  the  valley — have  been 
busy  tinkling  their  bells,  rattling  their  gourds,  throwing 
down  the  divining-tables,  and  shaking  the  witch-baskets 


166 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


(which  contain  a  collection  of  trifles  such  as  birds'  claws 
and  beaks,  splinters  of  human  bones,  leopards'  claws, 
bits  of  iron  and  strange  shells,  and  from  the  position  of 
which  they  pretend  to  read  the  will  of  the  gods),  in  order 
to  discover  whether  or  no  the  Marotsi  are  to  go  to  war 
against  the  Matebele.  In  this  case  it  was  divined  that 
the  gods  were  sulW,  angry  with  the  tribe,  and  refused 
to  answer.  This  was  a  convenient  decision,  as  they 
were  well  aware  that  the  Marotsi  soldiers  were  too  weak 
to  take  the  field  against  the  armies  of  Lobengula,  king 
of  the  Matebele ;  and  in  the  event  of  defeat  in  battle 
authorized  by  the  witch-doctors,  the  latter,  of  course, 
would  have  to  bear  the  brunt. 

But  their  conclusions  are  rarely  so  indefinite ;  gener- 
ally some  poor  wretch  has  to  be  sacrificed  to  their  whims 
and  conjectures.  Nor  do  they  always  spare  the  head- 
men in  giving  judgment ;  even  the  king  is  occasionally 
indicted.  An  instance  of  this  has  in  fact  taken  place 
since  my  visit  to  the  Barotse,  Avhen  Lewanika,  after  a 
great  astrological  inquiry,  was  pronounced  guilty  of 
having  been  the  cause  of  a  violent  outbreak  of  small- 
pox at  the  close  of  last  year.  Monsieur  Coillard  relates 
the  circumstance  in  a  letter  received  recently,  as  follows : 

" '  Do  you  know,'  said  he  (Lewanika),  ^  that  for  three 
days  the  Mambundas,  masters  of  the  black  art,  have 
consulted  the  knuckle-bones.  This  morning  the  first 
chiefs,  Gambella  at  the  head,  have  come  to  communi- 
cate the  oracle  to  me.  Ah  well !  it  is  I  myself  that  the 
bones  have  seized  on  and  pointed  out.  They  accuse  me 
of  having  brought  on  the  nation  the  plngue  of  small- 
pox, and  of  stopping  the  rain  from  falling.  If  I  am 
cruel,  be  not  astonished.'  .  .  . 


,1 


THE  KING  INDICTED. 


167 


"  Accompanied  by  Paulus  and  Jacob,  I  returned  next 
day  to  the  king,  and  found  Mm  in  the  lekhothla,  and 
sat  down  near  him.  He  named  new  chiefs  in  place  of 
those  the  small-pox  had  mown  down — and  they  are 
many !  On  ordinary  occasions  the  ceremony  does  not 
lack  interest,  but  Lewanika  is  anxious  and  worried. 
He  is  absent-minded  and  throws  furtive  side-glances. 
As  soon  as  he  was  able,  he  got  up  and  asked  me  to 
follow  him.  But  in  the  great  square  shed  of  the  lek- 
hothla there  was  an  unaccustomed  hubbub.  '  They  are 
still  herje ! '  the  king  said  to  me  in  parting.  I  wished 
to  see  what  went  on  there,  so  I  made  a  way  in  the 
dense  crowd  which  surrounded  the  hut.  Inside,  six  or 
seven  old  Mambundas  squatting  on  mats  were  shaking 
convulsively  baskets  filled  with  all  kinds  of  imaginable 
things.  These  sages  were  absorbed  in  the  profound 
study  of  each  combination,  and  muttered  cabalistic 
formulae,  while  all  around  them,  ranged  in  a  circle, 
their  confreres  made  a  fearful  cacophany  with  rattles 
made  of  gourds  and  baobab  fruits,  wooden  harmonicas, 
their  little  bells  and  tom-toms.  The  public,  packed 
like  sardines,  stand  with  stretched  necks,  wide-open 
mouths,  and  fixed  eyes.  And  all  this  by  the  orders  of 
the  head  chiefs  in  a  full  lekhothla,  under  the  very  eyes 
of  the  king,  whom  they  have  charged  thus  publicly  with 
the  misfortunes  of  the  nation  !  I  was  looking  on  this 
scene  and  absorbed  in  dark  reflections,  when  a  new 
message  came  to  call  me. 

"Lewanika,  a  prey  to  great  agitation,  gave  some 
orders  to  one  of  his  confidants.  Soon  after,  a  loud 
tumult  of  voices  arose  in  that  public  place.  The  king's 
man  had  gathered  the  crowd,  given  the  message,  and 


168 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


wound  up  by  crying,  ^  Seize  them ! '  Hundreds  of 
voices  responded,  each  one  stronger  than  the  other, 
shouting,  ^  Seize  them !  seize  them ! '  They  all  rushed 
on  the  unfortunate  Mambundas  and  fought  for  the 
pleasure  of  strangling  them,  some  pulling  their  arms, 
others  dragging  them  by  the  legs,  while  still  others 
held  on  to  their  necks.  It  was  a  frightful  confusion, 
when  a  second  order  came  commanding  the  liberation 
of  the  culprits,  and  the  king,  holding  up  his  hand,  said, 
^It  is  enough,  they  shall  be  pardoned;  but  let  them 
know  not  to  take  such  liberties  with  royalty  again ! ' 
The  effervescence  of  the  spirits  calmed  down,  and  the 
Mambundas,  profiting  by  a  moment  of  confusion,  had 
already  taken  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  steal 
away.  At  another  time  they  would  have  been  unmer- 
cifully put  to  death.  Lewanika  has  used  his  authority 
— it  is  good ;  but  I  ask  myself,  with  disquietude,  if  he 
has  truly  realized  the  peril  that  menaced  him,  and  if  he 
has  not  made  a  mistake  over  it." 

The  Barotse  Valley  is  not  likely  ever  to  be  a  place 
where  white  men  can  live.  It  is  a  vast  expanse  of  de- 
caying vegetation  reeking  with  malaria;  nor  could  it 
be  otherwise,  stagnant  water  being  on  every  side,  to 
drink  of  which  would  be  certain  fever.  The  whole 
valley  is  annually  covered  with  water  to  the  depth  of 
five  to  eight  feet  by  the  rise  of  the  Zambesi,  in  the 
same  way  as  Lower  Egypt  is  flooded  by  the  Nile; 
when  only  the  villages  can  be  seen,  built  on  mounds 
(the  work  of  a  former  chief,  Santuru),  the  only  means 
of  transit  for  several  months  of  the  year  being  canoes. 
The  grass  rots  when  under  water,  and  when  the  floods 
cease  new  grass  springs  up  everywhere  immediately, 


A  BLOODTHIRSTY  QUEEN. 


169 


preventing  the  rotting  vegetable  matter  from  drying — 
resulting  in  the  most  offensive  exhalations  during  the 
wet  season,  the  heat  and  moisture  keeping  one  in  a 
perpetual  vapor-bath.  To-day  my  hands  and  arms  are 
puckered  from  perspiration,  as  if  I  had  spent  hours  at 
the  wash-tub. 

Yesterday  Monsieur  Coillard  came  over  to  conduct 
service  in  the  lekhothla.  About  three  hundred  men 
were  present ;  women  do  not  attend.  He  kindly  presses 
me  to  return  to  Sefula  with  him  to-day,  and  I  gladly 
accept  his  invitation,  for  I  am  scarcely  a  day  free  from 
fever  here,  and  begin  to  feel  very  much  broken  down. 

Sefula,  December  30th.  Lewanika  arrived  here  to- 
day with  a  great  retinue  of  people,  who  are  building  a 
camp  near  by,  to  make  preparations  for  the  marriage 
of  his  eldest  son,  which  is  to  take  place  on  New  Year's 
Day.  The  queen  has  also  arrived,  attended  by  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  women,  with  a  similar  flourish 
of  trumpets.  She  is  the  sister  of  Lewanika,  and  with 
him  rules  the  kingdom,  having  her  headquarters  at 
Nalolo,  about  a  day's  journey  down  the  river ;  but  she 
is  a  much  more  determined  character  than  her  vacillat- 
ing and  pusillanimous  brother.  Her  reign  is  stained 
with  many  a  cruel  act  of  murder  and  bloodshed,  aveng- 
ing herself  particularly  on  those  who  are  in  any  way 
the  objects  of  her  jealousy.  But  a  short  time  ago,  an 
aged  headman  in  her  village  had  won  for  himself,  by 
his  kindness  and  gentle  demeanor,  far  more  of  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  of  the  people  than  was  agreeable  to 
his  sovereign,  whose  great  ambition  is  that  none  receive 
honor  but  herself.  Some  one  had  spoken  in  her  pres- 
ence of  the  old  man  in  terms  of  praise,  and  forthwith 


170 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


her  heart  was  filled  with  hate  toward  him.  He  was 
doomed!  Next  morning  she  invited  him  to  come  to 
her  hut  to  drink  beer,  at  the  same  time  appointing  two 
young  men,  armed  with  spears,  to  be  ready  at  her  sig- 
nal to  kill  him.  The  sign  was  given,  but  the  venerable 
face  and  gray  hair  so  touched  even  their  hearts  that 
they  hesitated,  when  she,  uttering  a  curse  on  their 
cowardice,  seized  a  rusty  Portuguese  saber  and  thrust 
him  through.  Summoning  her  crier,  she  ordered  him 
to  announce  to  the  town  that  "  the  queen  had  a  thorn 
removed  from  her  foot  this  morning." 

On  New  Year's  Eve  the  immense  crowd  of  people 
was  treated  by  Monsieur  Coillard  to  an  exhibition  of 
fireworks,  which  seemed  to  amaze  them  greatly.  Mon- 
sieur Coillard  puts  himself  to  no  end  of  trouble  to  create 
an  interest  in  the  station  and  draw  the  people  together. 
To  a  magic-lantern  exhibition  or  such-like  they  will 
come  in  flocks ;  but  let  the  church-bell  ring  and  expect 
to  see  the  same  anxiety  to  fill  the  building  ?  Alas,  no ! 
After  waiting  until  long  after  the  appointed  hour  for 
service,  we  enter,  to  find  but  a  very,  very  few,  except 
when  there  is  some  other  attraction  than  preaching. 

January  1,  1892.  Yes,  another  year  is  gone,  and  one 
that  to  me  has  been  fraught  with  the  strangest  and 
most  varied  experiences  that  have  fallen  to  my  lot  dur- 
ing ]ny  somewhat  checkered  life.  This  time  last  year  I 
was  surrounded  by  all  that  makes  life  sweet,  in  a  land 
where  there  is  light,  joy,  peace,  and  love;  here,  dark- 
ness, wretchedness,  strife,  and  hate  abound.  While 
writing,  I  hear  the  ghoulish  yells  and  wild  revel  of  the 
natives  as  they  celebrate  the  opening  year.  Knowing 
no  joy  but  in  that  which  panders  to  their  basest  pas- 


A  NATIVE  IV ED  DING, 


171 


sions,  love  is  to  them  a  mytli,  and  peace  they  have  never 
known,  for  war  and  bloodshed  is  their  special  delight. 

With  all  my  heart  I  thank  God  for  His  mercies  to 
me  dnring  the  year  that  is  gone,  and  for  His  preserving 
care  both  by  sea  and  land;  and  did  I  know  that  my 
loved  ones — wife  and  children — were  at  this  moment 
well  and  happy,  I  could  even  now  be  hopefnl  and  joy- 
ful ;  but  this  is  hidden  from  me,  and  I  fear  will  be  for 
many  months  yet  to  come. 

This  has  been  a  great  day  in  the  Barotse  Valley,  in- 
asmuch as  at  Sefula  the  first  marriage.  Christian  or 
heathen,  has  been  performed  by  Monsieur  Coillard,  in 
the  union  of  Letia,  son  of  Lewanika,  and  Makab'i, 
daughter  of  Katusi,  a  minor  chief.  The  girl  has  been 
for  some  time  in  the  school  at  Sefula,  and  much  care 
has  been  bestowed  and  many  months  spent  in  the  en- 
deavor to  wean  her  from  her  heathenism ;  but  without 
success.  Still,  Letia  has  made  a  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  wished  to  be  married  by  the  missionary. 
The  bridegroom  and  groomsmen  were  neatly  dressed 
in  suits  of  tweed;  the  bride  decked  out  in  a  dress  of 
yellow  luster  trimmed  with  furniture  chintz,  the  mate- 
rial having  been  brought  from  Mangwato  by  Letia  and 
made  up  with  his  own  hands,  Miss  Keiner  cutting  it 
out  and  adding  the  finishing  touches. 

By  11  A.M.  thousands  had  assembled  at  the  little 
church,  which  was  tastefully  decorated  for  the  occa- 
sion with  fronds  of  the  fan  palm  and  leaves  of  the 
wild  plantain.  Flowers  are  scarce  in  these  parts.  The 
most  important  among  the  people  obtained  admission 
until  the  building  was  crammed,  while  the  mass  had 
to  be  contented  with  standing  room  at  a  distance,  or 


172 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


a  peep  in  at  tlie  windows.  The  ceremony  proceeded 
without  an  interruption  until  the  bridegroom  promised 
to  cleave  unto  this  wife  only  so  long  as  they  "both 
should  live,"  when  an  audible  titter  of  amused  skepti- 
cism passed  round  among  the  chiefs,  beginning  witli 
his  father,  who  rejoices  in  the  possession  of  over  a 
score.  And  he  would  be  a  small  chief  indeed  who 
could  not  boast  of  at  least  half  a  dozen  women  in  his 
harem.  (Sad  to  say,  the  sequel  has  proven  that  their 
unbelief  in  Letia's  vows  had  more  foundation  than  our 
hopes  for  his  steadfastness,  for  within  a  few  months  he 
took  to  himself  a  second  wife,  and  has  openly  returned 
to  the  paganism  of  his  tribe.) 

Monsieur  Coillard  proposed  to  have  a  lunch  in  the 
open  air  for  the  young  people,  in  European  fashion, 
as  a  sort  of  object-lesson ;  but  it  ended  in  signal  fail- 
ure. First,  it  was  difficult  to  induce  the  bride  to  sit 
on  a  chair,  she  never  having  sat  at  a  table  in  her  life, 
fas  less  eaten  with  the  civilized  aid  of  a  knife  and  fork. 
Then  the  queen  and  the  chief  wife  of  the  king  were 
appointed  places  opposite  to  him;  to  this  Lewanika 
took  the  strongest  and  most  emphatic  objection,  de- 
claring that  he  had  never  eaten  with  women,  and  he 
never  ivould.  The  matter,  however,  was  compromised, 
after  a  great  deal  of  coaxing,  by  placing  his  majesty's 
chair  back  from  the  table  a  little,  making  it  appear  as 
if  he  were  not  of  their  party.  Then  his  sister's  husband 
and  his  own  secretary  were  imdted  to  chairs ;  but  here 
again  the  great  man's  dignity  was  dangerously  wounded. 
He  vowed  that  no  Marotsi  should  ever  sU  in  his  pres- 
ence except  on  the  bare  ground,  so  there  was  no  alter- 
native but  to  ask  them  to  retire  from  the  festive  board 


MAGIC-LANTERN  EXHIBITION. 


173 


and  make  themselves  comfortable  on  the  sand.  Much 
more  of  a  like  nature  took  place,  giieving  the  mission- 
ary to  his  very  soul,  and  causing  him  to  regret  having 
shown  them  this  kindness;  but  it  proved  to  me  how 
totally  impossible  it  must  ever  be  to  influence  for  good, 
civilize,  or  elevate  a  people  who  are  tyrannized  over  by 
such  an  arrogant,  ignorant  autocrat  as  Lewanika.  In 
the  afternoon  the  natives  were  treated  to  a  liberal  feast, 
consisting  of  four  fat  oxen,  mealies,  and  manioc,  at 
Monsieur  Coillard's  expense.  They  formed  a  proces- 
sion previous  to  the  feast,  bearing  the  cooked  food  in 
baskets,  bowls,  and  gourds ;  placing  all  in  rows  before 
the  king,  saluting  him  in  the  usual  way,  clapping  their 
hands,  getting  down  and  touching  the  ground  with 
their  foreheads,  taking  up  handfuls  of  sand  and  ru Tu- 
bing it  on  their  chests  and  arms  in  self-abasement,  tlicn 
uniting  in  the  cry  of  Yo  sho  !  Tau  Tuna !  ^  ("  great 
lion"). 

In  the  evening  a  magic-lantern  exhibition  was  given 
in  front  of  the  mission  house.  The  audience  did  not 
seem  to  understand  photographs  of  scenery  or  build- 
ings, however  beautiful;  but  when  the  picture  of  a 
zebra,  lion,  elephant,  or  buffalo  was  thrown  ujDon  the 
screen,  they  screamed  with  delight,  imitating  the  cries 
of  the  animals  represented.  At  a  late  hour  they  dis- 
persed, evidently  greatly  pleased. 

On  Saturday  measles  broke  out  in  the  'king's  camp.  I 
was  most  of  the  day  walking  around  with  him  attending 
to  his  favorites.  G-reat  crowds  gathered  for  the  Sun- 
day services,  both  morning  and  evening,  because  the 
king  and  queen  were  there.  A  lot  of  Lewanika's  wives 
marched  in  and  took  their  places — on  the  opposite  side 


174 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


of  the  building  from  him,  of  course — draped  in  a  profu- 
sion of  gay-colored  cloth,  toga  fashion,  with  from  six 
to  twelve  large  ivory  rings  on  each  arm,  and  the  indis- 
pensable snuff-box  hanging  by  their  sides,  with  which 
they  amused  themselves  during  the  service. 

January  4th.  A  blissful  stillness  pervades  the  dis- 
trict to-day.  Royalty  has  taken  its  departure — the 
queen  and  her  suite  to  Nalolo  in  canoes,  the  king  on 
horseback  to  Lialui,  followed  by  his  satellites,  in  each 
case  preceded  by  their  respective  bands  of  music  (save 
the  mark !).  I  am  not  very  sorry  to  see  the  last  of  them, 
for  now  we  shall  get  a  little  quiet  rest  at  night.  If  the 
"  uneasy  head  that  wears  a  crown  "  in  Africa,  purchased 
as  it  is  in  almost  every  case  by  deeds  of  violence  and 
bloodshed,  requires  this  perpetual  tum-tumming  from 
dusk  to  dawn,  with  impromptu  appeals  to  his  good 
genius  that  he  may  sleep,  it  is  at  the  sacrifice  of  rest  to 
every  civilized  being  within  a  mile ;  for  a  din  more  hid- 
eous can  scarcely  be  conceived.  But  such  is  savage  life 
in  the  far  interior,  even  among  kings. 

A  band  of  Mashukulumbwes  arrived  at  Sefula  this 
morning  en  route  homeward.  They  have  been  on  an 
embassy  to  the  court  of  Lewanika,  carrying  tribute, 
and  declaring  their  desire  to  live  at  peace  with  him, 
having  lost  heavily  by  a  raiding  party  of  Marotsi  who 
entered  their  country  last  year  and  captured  a  great 
number  of  slaves  and  cattle.  These  are  representatives 
of  a  wild  but  little-known  tribe — little  known  beyond 
the  fact  that  every  expedition  led  by  whites  who  have 
attempted  to  visit  them  came  to  grief,  including  Dr. 
Holub  and  Mr.  Selous,  who  in  each  case  were  obliged 
to  flee  for  their  lives,  helpless  to  resist  the  midnight 


THE  MASHUKULUMBIVE. 


175 


attack  of  hundreds  of  naked  demons  in  human  form, 
hurling  their  spears  through  the  tents  and  huts  of  the 
unsuspecting  travelers. 

I  gave  each  of  these  interesting  embassadors  a  yard 
of  bright-colored  cloth — the  first  certainly  they  ever  - 
owned,  each  hanging  it  from  his  belt  behind  like  a  tail, 
prancing  about  and  looking  over  his  shoulders  to  see  it 
fluttering  in  the  wind.  Then  they  all  joined  in  a  war- 
dance.  Stopping  every  now  and  again  and  crouching 
together  on  the  ground,  one  of  their  number,  creeping 
stealthily  forward,  spear  in  hand,  for  a  short  distance, 
would  then  make  a  rush,  at  a  great  speed,  for  fifty  yards, 
rapidly  thrusting  with  his  weapon,  fencing  and  fending 
himself  as  he  retires  from  the  imaginary  enemy.  We 
got  them  calmed  down  a  bit  with  some  food,  and  grouped 
them  for  a  photograph,  in  which  it  is  noticeable  that  the 
character  of  the  features  is  entirely  distinct  from  the 
usual  type  of  negro.  The  dressing  of  the  hair,  too,  is 
remarkable,  particularly  in  the  case  of  the  two  chiefs  in» 
charge,  who  have  it  worked  up  to  a  point  about  four 
feet  long.  It  is  necessary  to  exercise  much  patience 
and  tact  while  endeavoring  to  get  photographs  of  na- 
tives. They  are  so  suspicious,  it  is  hard  to  persuade 
them  that  posing  in  front  of  the  machine  will  not  in 
some  way  bewitch  them.  But  I  found  the  most  suc- 
cessful argument  was  to  politely  request  permission  to 
"  take  their  measure." 

One  European,  who  has  traveled  extensively  in  Africa, 
writes:  "Photography  .  .  .  presents  in  itself  almost 
insuperable  difficulties.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  no  easy 
matter  to  employ  photography  on  a  journey  of  explora- 
tion.   Fancy,  for  instance,  the  conveyance  of  an  appa- 


176 


REALITY  1/ERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ratus  with  its  appliances  in  glass  bottles,  upon  the  head 
of  a  carrier  who  stumbles  and  falls  at  least  a  dozen 
times  a  day !  .  .  .  And,  even  supposing  that  that  diffi- 
culty were  got  over,  and  that  photography  could  be 
effectively  employed,  where  is  the  native  of  the  interior 
who  would  allow  an  apparatus  to  be  set  up  and  stand 
before  it  as  a  subject  for  the  camera!"  So  far,  my  ex- 
perience in  this  direction  proves  that  in  transporting  a 
photographic  outfit  there  is  no  difficulty  whatever,  and 
far  less  risk  of  breakages  than  if  traveling  in  Europe, 
for  damage  from  rough  treatment  is  the  last  thing  that 
happens  to  a  load  in  the  hands  of  an  African  carrier ; 
they  are  not  "  baggage-smashers." 

The  following  instance  of  their  carefulness  came 
under  my  own  notice.  A  box  of  window  glass,  con- 
taining a  hundred  sheets,  was  intrusted  to  a  native  to 
be  carried  from  Benguela  to  Cisamba,  a  distance  of 
about  three  hundred  and  thirty  miles.  While  in  store 
•at  the  coast,  white  ants  had  got  at  the  straw  in  which 
the  glass  was  packed,  making  a  clean  sweep  of  it,  and 
leaving  the  fragile  contents  unprotected ;  but  although 
the  journey  is  one  of  some  twenty-two  days,  incurring 
the  lifting  and  laying  down  of  this  load  perhaps  a  hun- 
dred times,  it  arrived  at  its  destination  without  injury 
to  a  single  pane. 

As  to  the  other  statement  in  the  extract,  my  success 
in  photographing  this  wild  tribe,  as  well  as  the  Gran- 
guellians,  Matokas,  and  others,  proves  that  it  is  within 
the  bounds  of  possibility  to  procure  a  photograph  of 
even  the  wildest  of  Central  Africa's  natives. 


i 


CHAPTER  IX. 


FROM  SEFULA  TO  SESHEKE. 

The  Sefula  Canal. — Haste  peculiar  to  white  men. — To  be  thrown  to  the 
crocodiles. — Preparing  for  the  river  journey. — Parting  injunctions. — A 
cloud  of  voracious  mosquitoes. — "Waist-deep  in  the  swamp. — Afloat  on 
the  Zambesi. — Ancestral  worship. — An  interview  with  Makwai. — The 
omande  shell. — The  great  fish-eagle. — Camped  at  Senanga. — More  por- 
tentous game. — Memories  of  the  Georgian  Bay. — Charming  surround- 
ings.— A  pleasure  trip. — In  danger  of  an  upset. — Dragging  canoes  over- 
land.— Lion  stories. — The  Falls  of  Gonya. — Beautiful  cascades. — Veldt 
schoons. — In  the  rapids. -^The  aromatic  mopani. — A  fruitless  chase. — 
A  gorgeous  sunset. — The  graceful  zebra. 

MY  most  pleasant  sojourn  at  Sefula  comes  to  a 
close.  It  has  been  a  delightful  rest,  and  I  would 
gladly  prolong  it  ^Yere  I  not  still  far  from  my  destina- 
tion, and  must  now  see  to  getting  boatmen  for  the 
river  journey.  The  king  having  sent  a  canoe  for  me, 
I  started  early  in  the  morning  for  Lialui.  Instead 
of  having  to  walk  some  ten  miles  to  the  river,  as  was 
necessary  a  short  time  ago,  it  is  now  but  a  step  to  the 
canal,  some  six  miles  in  length,  and  connecting  a  series 
of  small  lakes,  thus  opening  a  good  water-way  to  the 
Zambesi.  It  was  cut  at  the  expense  of  a  friend  in  Scot- 
land, and  is  a  great  boon  to  the  mission — a  saving  of 
trouble  and  time  that  all  who  visit  Sefula  cannot  fail 
to  appreciate.  This  route  is  a  long  day's  journey, 
owing  to  the  strong  current  which  the  paddlers  have 

177 


178 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


to  contend  with,  but  by  no  means  a  tiresome  one,  as 
the  traveler  can,  by  the  active  use  of  his  gun,  find 
plenty  of  sport  and  lay  in  a  good  stock  of  ducks  and 
geese,  as  they  rise  in  great  flocks  at  every  bend  of  the 
river.  I  bagged  seventeen  birds  to-day,  the  combined 
weight  of  five  geese  being  fifty-seven  and  a  half  pounds. 

The  digging  of  this  canal  had  another  good  effect,  in 
this  way :  Lialui  is  situated  about  five  miles  from  the 
river;  and  no  sooner  was  the  work  at  Sefula  accom- 
plished than  Lewanika  was  roused  to  see  the  benefit  of 
it,  and  at  once  set  thousands  of  his  slaves  to  work  to 
cut  a  similar  water-way — fifteen  feet  wide  and  six  deep 
— not  only  to  the  capital,  but  extending  northward  a 
distance  of  over  twenty  miles,  navigable  for  large  ca- 
noes, and  tapping  one  of  the  most  thickly  populated 
districts  of  the  Zambesi  Valley. 

On  the  7th  I  had  a  long  interview  with  the  king 
about  men  and  boats.  He  seems  quite  willing  to  do 
his  best,  if  he  could  only  be  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  I  am  in  a  hurry.  This  to  him,  as  to  most  of  his 
race,  is  only  one  of  the  foolish  peculiarities  of  white 
men,  and  he  does  not  hesitate  to  say  so,  and  seems  to 
think  that  the  responsibility  of  teaching  me  that  what 
is  not  accomplished  this  month  may  be  the  next,  rests 
with  him.  I  presented  him  with  a  Winchester  rifle, 
belt,  suit  of  tweed,  and  one  of  Jaeger  wear,  requesting, 
at  the  same  time,  that  if  he  wished  our  friendship  to  be 
maintained  he  would  have  the  men  gathered  at  once. 
He  promised,  and  promptly  dispatched  messengers  to 
the  outlying  villages  to  collect  them;  so  now  I  must 
simply  "  wait  and  murmur  not." 

While  visiting  sick  natives  around  the  town,  my  at- 


THROIVN  TO  THE  CROCODILES. 


179 


tention  was  called  to  a  young  woman  whom  a  headman 
had  recently  added  to  his  harem.  The  new  wife  had 
already  become  an  object  of  jealousy  to  his  oldest 
spouse,  who  thought  it  best  to  have  her  put  out  of  the 
way ;  so  she  ordered  a  slave  to  make  some  bread,  and, 
putting  the  juice  of  a  poisonous  plant  info  the  dough, 
gave  the  victim  a  liberal  share  for  breakfast.  The  dose 
was  evidently  too  large,  as  the  stomach  rejected  most 
of  it ;  sufficient  remained,  however,  to  bring  the  poor 
creature  near  to  death.  I  found  her  in  a  comatose  con- 
dition, administered  such  antidotes  as  I  thought  best, 
and  left.  I  observed,  as  I  passed  out,  the  would-be 
murderess  and  her  slave  with  both  hands  and  feet  tied 
up  so  tightly  that  the  limbs  were  fearfully  swollen.  At 
my  request  the  thongs  were  slackened;  but  I  under- 
stand they  are  to  be  executed  by  throwing  them  into 
the  river,  where  the  crocodiles  will  make  short  work  of 
them. 

A  strange  superstition  which  prevails  among  the 
Marotsi  was  brought  to  my  notice  to-day  by  Amba, 
the  king's  chief  steward,  who  has  been  very  kind  to  me 
in  many  ways.  He  came  to  say  good-by,  as  he  was 
about  to  leave  the  capital  for  a  time,  giving  as  his 
reason,  that,  having  heard  of  the  death  in  a  distant 
village  of  one  of  his  children,  according  to  custom  he 
could  not  come  into  the  king's  presence  until  the  next 
new  moon.  But  it  would  fill  a  volume  to  detail  the 
numerous  superstitions,  beliefs,  and  fancies  which  ob- 
tain among  these  people. 

January  14th.  I  am  glad  to  hear  we  are  likely  to 
get  off  to-morrow.  I  have  been  busy  all  day  making 
final  arrangements — booking  canoe-men  and  unpack- 


180 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ing  bales  of  cloth,  etc.,  to  adjust  them  to  the  new  mode 
of  carrying,  as  some  of  the  goods  go  by  land  and  the 
balance  in  the  canoes.  We  have  sixty  loads  altogether. 
The  men  of  Barotse  do  not  like  porter  work,  but  slaves 
have  no  choice.  The  natives  of  Bihe  carry  their  loads 
on  the  head  or  shoulder ;  but  these  must  have  it  divided 
into  two  bundles  and  suspended  from  the  extreme  ends 
of  a  stick,  six  feet  long  and  laid  across  the  shoulder, 
Chinese  fashion.  But  it  would  be  endless  trouble  for 
me  to  divide  up  bales  of  calico  in  this  way,  and  in  the 
case  of  the  trunks  impossible;  so  they  will  have  to 
settle  the  mode  of  conveyance  among  themselves.  I 
find  no  trouble  in  bringing  matters  to  a  focus  among 
these  people;  the  amount  of  pay  for  each  man  has 
already  been  fixed,  and  there  is  no  haggling  or  backing 
out  at  the  last.  They  are  under  orders,  and  book  with- 
out a  word. 

By  ten  o'clock  next  morning  all  my  stuff  was  lifted 
and  taken  down  to  the  canal,  where  the  canoes  were 
drawn  up  in  readiness.  Lewanika  and  a  number  of  his 
headmen  walked  with  us  to  say  good-by  and  see  us  off; 
also  to  give  final  instructions  to  the  men  concerning 
their  behavior  on  the  river,  winding  up  with  Remem- 
ber, if  you  give  any  trouble,  or  cause  naka's  [doctor's] 
heart  to  be  sore  on  the  way,  you  will  have  to  settle 
with  me  when  you  return ;  so  beware !  " 

It  took  some  time  to  choose  canoes  strong  enough  to 
shoot  the  rapids  we  have  to  encounter,  and  to  so  ar- 
range the  men  that  there  should  be  at  least  one  experi- 
enced paddler  at  the  prow  of  each.  But  by  noon  pre- 
liminaries were  completed — seven  canoes,  each  manned 
by  five  paddlers.  After  much  hand-shaking  and  mutual 


VORACIOUS  MOSQUITOES. 


181 


interchange  of  good  wislies,  the  rowers  seized  their 
paddles,  shouted  three  times,  and  away  we  sped  down 
the  stream  toward  the  river,  my  canoe  taking  the  lead, 
followed  by  Jack,  a  Barotse  boy,  whom  I  engaged  at 
Lialui  as  interpreter.  Having  been  some  years  at  the 
Cape,  he  conld  speak  a  little  English.  Then  came  the 
two  Jamaica  men,  and  also  the  hunter  already  referred 
to  as  of  "  doubtful  nationality,"  who,  having  insulted 
Letia,  the  king's  son,  was  under  orders  to  leave  the 
country  at  once,  while  the  natives  were  forbidden  to 
render  him  any  assistance  whatever.  Seeing  a  fellow- 
creature  in  such  a  strait,  I  was  induced  to  ask  permis- 
sion of  Lewanika  to  give  him  a  lift  down  the  river  in 
one  of  my  canoes,  but  had  afterward  cause  to  regret 
having  done  so. 

It  was  almost  dark  by  the  time  we  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Sefula  Canal,  or  rather  marshy  lakes  which  con- 
nect it  with  the  river.  This  was  unfortunate,  as  in  the 
darkness  my  headman,  who  acts  as  pilot,  lost  his  way 
several  times  among  the  long  reeds,  running  aground, 
having  to  back  out  and  search  again ;  until  at  last  we 
found  a  narrow  opening  which  we  followed,  making 
our  way  slowly  through  a  perfect  cloud  of  the  largest 
and  most  voracious  mosquitoes  I  ever  encountered. 
But  worse  trouble  was  ahead  of  Us,  for  the  water  in 
the  canal  was  low,  and  our  canoes,  being  heavily  laden, 
stuck  fast  in  the  sand,  while  still  between  two  and 
three  miles  from  the  mission  station,  where  we  in- 
tended to  camp  over  Sunday  and  pick  up  the  supplies 
left  there.  The  night  was  now  pitch-dark,  the  long- 
legged  bloodsuckers  attacked  us  unmercifully,  and  the 
men  were  tired.    What  was  to  be  done  I  Surrounded 


182 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


on  every  side  by  foul-smelling  swamps,  we  knew  not 
how  deep,  with  tall  reedy  grass  stretching  far  above 
our  heads,  the  prospect  of  remaining  there  all  night 
was  doleful  in  the  extreme.  Most  of  the  crews  had 
already  made  off  to  seek  a  shelter  in  the  nearest  vil- 
lage; and  leaving  only  four  men  to  guard  the  stuff,  I 
decided  to  try  wading  through  the  marsh,  taking  Jack 
with  me.  I  slipped  out  of  the  canoe  into  the  water, 
plunging  along  for  several  hundred  yards  waist-deep, 
until  we  felt  the  ground  firm  under  our  feet.  By  ten 
o'clock  we  reached  the  mission  house.  Monsieur  Coil- 
lard  had  food  sent  to  the  men  in  the  boats,  and  after 
a  refreshing  cup  of  coffee  I  got  off  my  wet  clothes  and 
retired  to  a  comfortable  cot,  grateful  to  escape  the  hor- 
rors of  a  night  in  the  dismal  swamp. 

January  16th.  By  daylight  all  hands  went  to  work 
and  got  the  canoes  over  the  sandbank  and  up  to  the 
camping-ground,  the  men  taking  possession  of  the  huts 
built  by  the  king's  people  during  his  visit  for  Letia's 
wedding.  I  occupied  myself  all  day  forming  bales  of 
the  blankets  purchased  from  Monsieur  Coillard  for  the 
purpose  of  paying  carriers.  In  this  part  of  Africa,  and 
for  the  next  eight  hundred  miles,  a  porter  does  not 
think  he  is  paid,  however  much  calico  he  receives, 
unless  there  is  a  blanket  with  it. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  time  spent  on  this  station 
with  the  veteran  missionary,  Francis  Coillard.  If  I 
have  seen  one  mission  in  Africa  that  deserves  the  full 
sympathy  and  hearty  support  of  Christians  at  home 
more  than  another,  it  is  this. 

By  9  A.M.  on  the  18th  the  canoes  were  loaded  and 
every  man  in  his  place,  ready  for  a  start.    With  a  final 


AFLOAT  ON  THE  ZAMBESI. 


183 


farewell  to  the  kind  friends,  who  accompanied  ns  to 
the  water-side,  and  a  last  lingering  look  at  Sefula,  we 
are  off  full  speed  down  the  canal.  By  11  a.m.  we  reached 
the  river.  The  motion  of  the  rough  and  unshapely  dug- 
outs is  anything  but  pleasant,  and  an  upset  sooner  or 
later  seems  inevitable,  particularly  as  all  the  men  stand 
to  paddle,  the  steersman  at  the  bow  and  four  astern  of 
the  cargo,  bending  their  bodies  to  each  long  but  steady 
stroke  in  perfect  rhythm.  Sitting  on  a  mat  exposed 
to  the  scorching  sun  would  be  very  trying  to  one's 
patience  but  for  the  interest  created  by  watching  the 
crocodiles  as  they  slide  lazily  from  the  banks  into  the 
water  at  our  approach,  or  looking  at  the  numerous 
hippos  that  infest  the  river,  bobbing  up  every  few 
hundred  yards,  extending  their  enormous  jaws,  snort- 
ing and  blowing,  often  in  dangerous  proximity  to  our 
fragile  bark,  sometimes  as  many  as  forty  to  fifty  in  a 
herd ;  but  we  shoot  past,  giving  them  as  wide  a  berth 
as  possible. 

There  is  nothing  remarkable  in  the  scenery,  as  we 
are  still  in  the  Barotse  Valley,  and  the  banks  are  only 
from  four  to  six  feet  high ;  while  the  vast  grassy  plains 
stretch  out  on  either  side  with  scarcely  a  bush  to  be 
seen,  although  now  and  again  we  notice  a  large  tree 
standing  solitary  and  alone,  marking  the  grave  of  some 
ancestral  chief.  On  getting  opposite  any  of  these,  the 
boatmen  ship  their  paddles,  drop  on  their  knees,  clap 
their  hands  (Kandele),  and,  raising  their  hands  above 
their  heads,  shout,  "Yo  sho ! "  (Shwilela)  to  these  de- 
funct chiefs — the  gods  of  the  Marotsi. 

At  one  place,  where  a  very  powerful  ruler  is  said  to 
have  been  buried,  they  stopped  and  went  ashore,  when 


184 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


the  headman  Limamba  requested  me  to  contribute  a 
yard  of  cloth  as  a  peace-offering.  I  of  course  decHned, 
so  one  of  the  birds  shot  in  the  morning  was  taken  and 
laid  out  very  solemnly  on  the  ground.  Limamba,  act- 
ing as  priest,  gathered  the  crews  round  him,  all  kneel- 
ing, when  he  proceeded  to  implore  their  genius  to  be 
so  good  as  not  to  be  angry  with  them,  as  they  were 
starting  on  a  long  voyage  with  a  white  man;  and 
pleaded  that  they  might  go  safely  and  be  preserved 
from  the  hippos,  crocodiles,  and  rapids.  Prostrations 
and  salutations  followed,  as  if  in  the  presence  of  a  liv- 
ing king.  They  were  very  wroth  with  me  for  with- 
holding the  cloth,  and  threatened  to  stop;  but  a  lit- 
tle firmness,  with  counter-threats  and  some  storming, 
brought  them  on,  and  we  reached  Nalolo,  the  village 
of  the  queen,  Makwai,  about  3  p.m.  We  pitched  our 
camp  in  sight  of  her  town,  but  by  the  time  my  tent 
was  up  fever  had  me  down;  yet  I  had  to  struggle 
against  my  sickness,  and  with  an  effort  walked  over 
to  pay  a  formal  call  to  and  salute  her  majesty,  other- 
wise we  should  have  no  firewood.  Excusing  myself 
for  my  brief  visit,  I  returned  to  camp  and  turned  in 
as  soon  as  I  could. 

Next  morning  we  made  an  early  start,  but  lost  a  good 
deal  of  headway  crossing  and  recrossing  the  river  to 
avoid  the  hippos.  I  find  sitting  in  one  place  exposed 
to  the  scorching  rays  of  the  sun  and  glare  from  the 
water  for  eight  or  nine  hours  very  trying.  The  day 
we  left  Lialui  my  underhp  got  badly  blistered ;  now  the 
blisters  are  broken  and  very  sore,  causing  much  pain 
when  I  touch  them.  Added  to  this,  the  ui3per  lid  of 
my  right  eye  is  decorated  with  the  seventh  sty  I  have 


THE  OMANDE  SHELL 


185 


had  since  coming  to  tlie  valley.  Still,  these  are  minor 
sufferings,  if  the  fever  would  only  give  us  a  respite  for 
a  while. 

Limamba,  my  boatswain,  tries  hard  every  evening  to 
so  time  our  progress  that  we  shall  halt  at  an  old  camp ; 
but  they  are  generally  so  very  dirty  and  so  infested 
with  vermin  that  I  invariably  avoid  them.  He  dislikes 
being  thwarted,  and  would  like  to  pose  as  captain,  as 
at  home  he  is  a  minor  chief,  and  wears  round  his  neck 
the  insignia  of  his  rank — an  omande  shell.  None  but 
chiefs  or  those  of  royal  blood  are  permitted  to  wear  this 
distinguishing  badge. 

Livingstone  refers  in  his  first  book  (page  300)  to  the 
veneration  in  which  the  omande  shell  was  held  in  his 
day  among  the  Makalolo.  He  gives  a  good  illustration 
of  the  original  shell,  from  the  end  of  which  these  are 
obtained,  and  writes : 

"As  the  last  proof  of  friendship,  Shinte  came  into 
my  tent,  though  it  could  scarcely  contain  more  than 
one  person,  looked  at  all  the  curiosities — the  quicksil- 
ver, the  looking-glass,  books,  hair-brushes,  comb,  watch, 
etc. — with  the  greatest  interest;  then,  closing  the  tent 
so  that  none  of  his  own  people  might  see  the  extrava- 
gance of  which  he  was  about  to  be  guilty,  he  drew  out 
from  his  clothing  a  string  of  beads  and  the  end  of  a 
conical  shell,  which  is  considered  in  regions  far  from 
the  sea  of  as  great  value  as  the  lord-mayor's  badge  in 
London.  He  hung  it  round  my  neck,  and  said, '  There, 
now,  you  have  a  proof  of  my  friendshi]3.'  My  men  in- 
formed me  that  these  shells  are  so  highly  valued  in  this 
quarter  as  evidences  of  distinction  that  for  two  of  them 
a  slave  might  be  bought,  and  five  would  be  considered 


186 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


a  handsome  price  for  an  elephant's  tusk  worth  ten 
pounds." 

I  may  say  that  these  shells  are  becoming  rare,  and  are 
more  than  double  the  value  now  than  forty  years  ago. 
At  the  present  day  one  will  purchase  a  slave,  and  two 
a  good  tooth  of  ivory ;  while  it  is  a  recognized  law  in 
the  Barotse,  that,  if  a  condemned  man  is  brought  out 
to  be  executed,  for  whatever  crime,  if  any  one  will  hand 
over  their  "  omande  "  to  the  king  the  culprit  is  at  once 
set  free  and  becomes  the  property  of  whoever  pays  this 
ransom.  I  am  pleased  at  having  procured  five  speci- 
mens of  these  interesting  shells,  not,  however,  without 
a  deal  of  trouble,  as  the  owners  were  very  loath  to  part 
with  them ;  but  the  temptation  offered  of  possessing  a 
red  blanket  was  irresistible. 

I  shot  several  ducks,  two  spur-winged  geese,  and 
a  beautiful  specimen  of  the  great  fish-eagle,  the  out- 
stretched wings  of  which  measured  six  feet  seven  inches 
from  tip  to  tip.  This  bird  resembles  the  pictures  we  are 
familiar  with  surmounting  the  "  stars  and  stripes "  of 
the  United  States — the  proud  emblem  of  liberty :  black 
beak,  white  neck  and  breast,  dark  chocolate  body,  black 
wings,  yellow  legs,  and  enormous  black  claws.  They 
live  entirely  on  fish,  and  from  the  overhanging  branches 
they  watch  for  their  prey  to  come  to  the  surface  of  the 
water,  when  like  lightning  they  swoop  down  and  seize 
it  in  their  powerful  talons,  retiring  into  the  bush  to 
enjoy  their  meal.  This  bird  sometimes  secures  fish  up 
to  eighteen  inches  in  length.  When  the  capture  is  wit- 
nessed by  the  boatmen  they  make  a  bee-line  in  its  direc- 
tion and  rob  it  of  the  prize. 

In  the  evening  we  reached  Senanga,  the  extreme 


MORE  PORTENTOUS  GAME. 


187 


southeast  end  of  the  Barotse  Yalley,  and  we  camp  at  the 
edge  of  a  forest.  It  is  quite  a  relief  to  see  trees  again 
after  the  monotony  of  seven  weeks  on  the  unbroken 
expanse  of  grass  and  reeds.  Here  we  must  stop  for  a 
few  days,  as  part  of  my  loads,  which  have  come  so  far 
by  water,  must  now  be  taken  by  carriers  overland  to 
Sesheke,  which  we  hope  to  reach  three  weeks  hence. 
We  were  not  long  in  camp  when  natives  brought  some 
sweet  milk  for  sale.  Its  abundance  at  Lialui  and  Sefula 
has  been  a  great  luxury  to  us,  and  it  will  probably  be 
some  time  ere  we  meet  with  such  good  fortune  again, 
as  after  leaving  Senanga  we  shall  find  no  more  villages 
until  we  reach  Sesheke.  The  prominent  features  of 
this  camp  are  crocodiles  and  mosquitoes :  the  latter  fill 
the  air  with  a  buzz  like  a  hive  of  bees,  and  their  sting  is 
little  less  severe ;  while  out  on  the  water,  at  about  fifty 
yards  from  where  I  sit,  three  huge  crocodiles  are  float- 
ing like  logs  on  the  surface. 

January  22d.  It  has  been  raining  heavily  for  most 
of  the  day.  The  headman  of  the  overland  detachment 
has  arrived  with  his  carriers.  This  is  encouraging,  and 
certainly  surprises  me  not  a  little — a  happy  contrast  to 
my  troubles  with  the  West  Coast  natives.  Serving  out 
a  little  gunpowder,  caps,  lead,  and  a  few  pieces  of  calico 
completes  the  arrangements,  and  they  are  off ;  to-mor- 
row, all  being  well,  we  do  likewise.  In  the  evening  I 
went  up  the  river  a  mile,  and  shot  thirteen  ducks  and 
two  geese — the  last  we  shall  see  of  them  for  some  time, 
as  they  are  seldom  seen  except  in  the  vicinity  of  marshes. 
But  we  are  getting  out  our  belts  and  rifle  cartridges  for 
more  portentous  game,  that  we  hope  to  stalk  during 
the  next  three  weeks,  as  I  am  told  antelopes  of  almost 


188 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


every  variety  abound  on  both  banks  of  the  river ;  but 
that  means,  too,  that  we  must  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for 
lions  and  leopards,  for  where  game  is  plentiful  these  are 
generally  not  far  away. 

On  the  23d  we  struck  camp  and  pushed  off  again, 
the  men  pulling  with  plenty  of  vim  after  their  few 
days'  rest.  I  noticed  the  high- water  mark  of  the  Zam- 
besi by  the  debris  deposited  among  the  branches  of 
some  trees  twelve  feet  above  the  present  level,  and  in- 
dicating the  height  it  will  possibly  reach  in  another 
two  months.  The  scenery  is  now  completely  changed ; 
instead  of  the  bald  and  uninteresting  banks  on  either 
side,  we  have  a  variety  of  splendid  trees  with  very  few 
breaks.  This  does  not  present  a  tropical  appearance, 
by  any  means ;  on  the  contrary,  so  far  as  the  vegeta- 
tion is  concerned  one  might  easily  imagine  one's  self  on 
any  of  our  beautiful  English  or  Canadian  rivers  in  mid- 
summer. The  many  islands  brought  back  to  us  happy 
memories  of  camping  days  on  the  Georgian  Bay.  Nor 
are  the  trees  so  close  as  to  hide  the  sward,  with  its 
crop  of  rich  deep  green  grass  between,  at  times  remind- 
ing one  of  a  park  in  the  vicinity  of  some  old  English 
mansion.  But  the  illusion  does  not  last  long,  for  right 
near  us  pops  up  the  head  of  a  hippopotamus,  with  a 
grunt  that  startles  the  boatmen  and  makes  them  re- 
double their  energies  to  get  as  far  and  as  quickly  away 
from  him  as  possible.  While  rounding  a  bend  we  see 
the  armor-clad  crocodiles  glide  noiselessly  out  into  deep 
water,  casting  hungiy  glances  at  the  naked  figures 
whose  approach  has  disturbed  their  repose ;  and  in  the 
trees  various  species  of  monkeys  and  baboons  are  sport- 
ing among  the  branches. 


CHARMING  SURROUNDINGS. 


189 


The  placid  water  looks  like  a  lake,  and  the  numerous 
islands,  varying  in  size  from  a  few  feet  square  to  many 
acres,  are  all  richly  clad  with  vegetation,  the  larger 
ones  abounding  in  game.  On  one  of  these,  called  Beta, 
to  our  right  and  on  the  west  bank,  we  camp  for  the 
night.  I  am  simply  charmed  with  my  surroundings ; 
and  who  would  not  be  ?  Gripsying  under  the  shade  of 
lordly  trees  Hke  great  oaks,  which  shelter  us  from  the 
sun  by  their  far-spreading  branches ;  no  thorns,  jungle, 
creepers,  or  underbrush  of  any  kind,  but  soft,  fresh 
grass,  about  a  foot  high.  The  chief  interest,  however, 
is  centered  in  three  pots  that  are  steaming  over  the 
fire,  one  containing  rice,  another  cornmeal  dumplings, 
and  the  third  ribs  of  a  pallah  buck  shot  about  an  hour 
ago,  within  three  hundred  yards  of  camp.  At  a  little 
distance  the  canoe-men  are  rigging  up  their  lean-to 
sheds  of  twigs  and  grass,  while  others  are  cooking 
their  share  of  the  antelope.  There  are  plenty  of  mos- 
quitoes, and,  what  is  perhaps  worse,  swarms  of  the 
tsetse-fly — the  dreaded  scourge  of  domestic  animals  in 
Central  Africa.  The  men  are  not  giving  me  the  slight- 
est trouble  so  far,  and,  if  I  may  judge  from  appear- 
ances, everything  bids  fair  for  the  water  journey  to 
Kazangulu  being  little  short  of  a  pleasure  trip.  I 
would  willingly  have  remained  at  this  lovely  spot  for 
another  day,  but  this  must  not  be;  so  we  load  up  in 
the  morning  and  launch  away. 

The  river  spreading  out  to  nearly  a  mile  in  width 
gave  us  a  great  deal  of  shallow  water ;  twice  my  canoe 
was  stuck  fast  on  the  top  of  stones — the  first  we  have 
come  across  of  any  size,  large  or  small,  in  the  last  six 
hundred  miles.     Now  we  would  rather  be  without 


190 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


them,  for,  being  large  boulders  bidden  under  the  water, 
which  is  dark  at  this  season  of  the  year,  we  are  in  con- 
stant danger  of  an  upset.  We  reached  Sioma  in  the 
afternoon,  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  Falls  of 
Gonya.  To  avoid  the  latter  we  have  to  get  all  the 
canoes  taken  from  the  water  and  dragged  overland  for 
a  distance  of  some  four  miles ;  but  I  find  that  Lewa- 
nika  has  thoughtfully  sent  on  a  man  to  collect  natives, 
so  as  to  have  no  delay. 

The  moving  of  canoes  overland  at  Sioma  is  made  the 
subject  of  a  picture  and  description  extraordinary  in 
the  book  "How  I  Crossed  Africa,"  representing  hun- 
dreds of  men,  about  forty  at  each  canoe,  carrying  them 
on  sticks  laid  underneath,  and  climbing  up  a  steep  hill 
through  dense  forest  and  tropical  foliage.  This  is  gross 
exaggeration  from  first  to  last,  but  only  on  a  par  with 
the  rest  of  this  two-volumed  book.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  the  writings  of  several  other  African  travelers 
who  might  be  named,  and  whose  literature  can  only 
rank  in  the  estimation  of  those  who  have  visited  these 
places,  written  as  it  is  by  these  exceedingly  imaginative 
scribblers,  among  "dime  novels"  and  "penny  dread- 
fuls." I  don't  believe  there  is  a  country  under  heaven 
that  has  been  the  subject  of  more  romancing  and  mis- 
representation than  Africa. 

The  transferring  of  the  canoes  past  the  falls  is,  after 
all,  a  very  commonplace  affair.  They  are  not  carried, 
but  dragged  along  the  ground  by  means  of  bark  ropes, 
and  always  have  been  since  traveling  by  the  river 
began,  with  not  more  than  twelve  men  to  each;  and 
as  to  the  hill,  there  is  nothing  imposing  about  it,  being 
only  five  or  six  feet  high.    Nor  is  there  any  forest, 


LIOM  STORIES. 


191 


unless  a  solitary  tree  in  every  other  acre  can  be  made 
to  do  duty  for  the  dense  jungle  so  elaborately  por- 
trayed by  pen  and  pencil.  In  the  same  book  we  have 
a  sketch  of  lion-shooting  at  night,  by  the  light  of  a 
bulPs-eye  lantern  in  the  hand  of  a  boy,  reflecting  on  a 
pair  of  monster  males,  who  are  represented  as  standing 
within  twenty  yards  of  the  camp,  patiently  receiving 
their  coup  de  grace.  It  also  contains  the  tragic  and 
blood-curdling  account  of  an  attack  on  the  author's 
camp  by  the  Marotsi,  when  he,  with  but  a  handful  of 
men,  defended  the  honor  of  the  Portuguese  flag  against 
hundreds  of  natives,  killing  seventeen  of  the  assailants. 
This  thrilling  story  is  also  untrue,  and  without  the 
slightest  foundation.  I  feel  it  due  to  the  Marotsi  to 
give  it  a  flat  contradiction,  for  the  would-be  hero  ar- 
rived at  Lialui  in  a  destitute  condition,  was  the  recipi- 
ent of  Lewanika's  hospitality  and  protection,  and  was 
under  obligation  to  him  for  men  and  boats  to  proceed 
on  his  journey.  But  far  too  much  of  this  sort  of  thing 
has  been  foisted  on  the  public,  giving  the  general 
reader  a  vague  and  totally  erroneous  idea  of  the  coun- 
try and  its  peoples.  There  is  quite  sufficient  to  tell 
about  Africa  that  is  truly  wonderful,  and  of  intense  in- 
terest to  all  who  desire  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the 
"  Dark  Continent,"  without  turning  it  into  fiction  and 
fable. 

As  the  day  cleared  up,  I  got  a  few  boys,  and  with 
my  photo  apparatus  trudged  off  to  the  Falls  of  Gonya. 
After  walking  a  mile  and  a  half  we  came  to  a  branch 
of  the  river  about  a  hundred  yards  wide,  that  cut  us 
off  completely  from  the  only  point  where  the  cataract 
can  be  seen  to  advantage.    There  being  no  canoe  near 


192 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


by,  and  as  the  water  did  not  appear  to  be  more  than 
waist-deep,  our  only  alternative  was  to  strip  and  wade 
it.  Our  progress  was  slow,  the  current  being  strong 
and  the  stones  slippery;  patience  and  perseverance, 
however,  triumphed,  and  we  reached  the  other  side  in 
safety  with  my  camera.  It  proved  to  be  a  rocky  island, 
which  I  crossed,  and  sat  down  on  a  boulder,  to  gaze  on 
a  scene  so  grand  that  few  men  would  regret  traveling 
a  thousand  miles  to  see.  The  volume  of  water  consti- 
tuting the  falls,  though  great,  does  not  represent  the 
entire  width  of  the  Zambesi  here — i)erhaps  not  more 
than  half,  as,  besides  the  portion  we  waded  through,  a 
large  part  is  cut  off  by  an  island  on  the  west  side,  that 
rejoins  the  main  stream  about  two  hundred  yards  be- 
low, in  beautiful  cascades,  a  third  part  coming  in  still 
lower  down  in  roaring  rapids.  The  day  was  unfavor- 
able for  photography,  as  I  had  to  unlimber  my  appa- 
ratus every  few  minutes  and  protect  it  with  my  water- 
proof cloak  from  the  torrents  of  rain,  which  gave  me 
but  few  intervals.  After  four  hours  on  the  rocks,  alter- 
nately scorched  by  the  sun  and  drenched  by  the  rain, 
we  retraced  our  steps,  gratified  beyond  measure  for 
the  privilege  of  having  been  permitted  to  view  the  falls, 
cascades,  and  rapids  of  Gonya. 

The  following  day  we  proceeded  with  the  loads  to 
where  the  canoes  were  awaiting  us  below  the  falls. 
Here  the  river  is  narrow,  compressed  on  either  side  by 
rocky  bluffs,  giving  a  rise  of  fifty  feet  at  the  end  of  the 
annual  wet  seasons.  It  would  be  a  very  easy  matter 
to  escape  the  cataract  by  cutting  a  canal  to  this  point, 
the  route  being  almost  in  a  straight  line,  with  very  few 
and  slight  undulations.    The  day  was  far  gone  before 


THE  AROMATIC  MOPANI. 


193 


we  got  on  tlie  water  again,  so  that  an  honr  after  start- 
ing I  ordered  a  halt  and  formed  camp  on  a  sandbank, 
about  a  hundred  yards  below  the  confluence  of  the 
Lumbi.  This  river  is  over  half  a  mile  wide  a  little 
higher  up  its  course,  but  here  comes  thundering  down 
a  narrow,  rocky  gorge  of  not  more  than  fifty  yards,  as 
it  enters  the  Zambesi. 

January  27th.  As  the  Barotse  men  are  not  particu- 
larly well  acquainted  with  the  rapids  below  Sioma,  I 
have  thought  it  best  to  engage  a  native  pilot.  I  put 
him  in  ray  canoe  and  let  the  others  follow  his  lead,  as 
he  professes  to  know  every  channel  among  the  shallows. 
A  run  of  three  hours  brought  us  to  the  Kari  Rapid s, 
where  the  waters  were  so  turbulent  and  forbidding  that 
we  had  to  unload  and  carry  the  stuff  past  the  most 
dangerous  places.  I  have  to  reserve  a  portion  of  each 
day  now  for  the  purpose  of  hunting,  so  as  to  provide 
meat  for  our  thirty-eight  hungry  men,  the  corn  they 
carried  with  them  being  finished.  But  it  would  be  an 
easy  matter  to  feed  five  times  as  many  here,  as  both 
banks  of  the  river  are  simply  teeming  with  game. 

During  the  next  few  days  we  made  but  short  runs, 
being  frequently  delayed  in  getting  our  dug-outs  safely 
through  the  numerous  rapids;  but  the  scenery  seems 
more  beautiful  than  ever,  the  many  clusters  of  wild 
date  palms  along  the  banks  adding  peculiar  charm  to 
the  grandeur  of  the  landscape.  While  camped  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  In j oka,  I  found  myself  in  a  forest 
of  mopani.  This  tree  is  a  favorite  in  Africa,  although 
it  is  useless  for  building  purposes.  Its  leaves  when 
crushed  give  off  an  agreeable  aromatic  odor  almost  as 
strong  as  pimento ;  no  underwood  or  scrub  grows  be- 


194 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


neath  its  shade,  but  a  carpet  of  short  clean  grass.  What 
a  genuine  pleasure  it  is  to  saunter  along  under  those 
dark-green  trees,  without  a  bush  to  impede  the  careless 
tread,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional  clump  of 
aloes.  One  can  scarcely  conceive  that  there  is  not  a 
human  habitation  within  fifty  miles  of  a  spot  so  lovely. 

I  struck  fresh  antelope  spoor,  and  knew  they  could 
not  be  very  far  away.  A  sharp  snort  drew  my  atten- 
tion to  a  pallah  buck  standing  at  short  range,  and  I  fi]'ed 
and  dropped  him ;  but  before  the  echo  had  died  away, 
a  whole  herd  came  rushing  past,  skirting  the  edge  of 
a  marsh,  and  stopping  at  about  a  hundred  and  fifty 
yards  from  me.  I  singled  out  another  and  got  him, 
and  as  they  started  off,  fired  again  and  brought  down 
a  third.  The  shots  having  been  heard  by  my  Kaffirs, 
a  batch  of  them  soon  appeared  and  bore  the  meat  in 
triumph  to  camp. 

Hunting  in  Africa  is  attended  with  an  amount  of 
excitement  and  interest  unknown  to  the  same  sport 
in  Europe.  The  knowledge  that,»the  forests  through 
which  we  noiselessly  glide  are  haunted  by  so  many  wild 
and  dangerous  animals  keeps  one  constantly  on  the 
alert  for  the  slightest  sound  that  might  indicate  their 
presence.  Every  clump  of  underbrush  is  scanned  lest  a 
lion  or  a  leopard  be  lurking  in  its  dark  recesses,  ready 
to  spring  on  the  unwary ;  while  a  consciousness  of  per- 
fect freedom  lends  buoyancy  to  one's  spirits. 

On  the  30th,  while  quietly  gliding  along  in  smooth 
water  near  the  bank,  I  was  aroused  by  a  noise  at  first 
like  distant  thunder,  but  every  second  coming  nearer 
and  increasing  to  a  terrific  roar,  like  the  sound  of  an 
approaching  express  train.    I  stopped  and  jumped 


A  GORGEOUS  SUNSET. 


195 


ashore.  It  proved  to  be  an  imraense  herd  of  buffaloes 
tearing  through  the  thicket,  within  a  dozen  yards  of 
where  I  stood,  leaving  a  track  behind  them  as  though 
a  regiment  of  heavy  artillery  had  just  gone  by.  We 
got  our  rifles  and  gave  chase ;  but  they  had  winded  us 
and  swerved  round  to  leeward,  and  although  we  fol- 
lowed the  tremendous  trail  for  two  hours  as  hard  as  we 
could,  failed  to  get  within  five  hundred  yards  of  them, 
and  at  last  were  reluctantly  compelled  to  give  up.  "We 
got  a  duiker  antelope  on  the  way  back.  Such  abund- 
ance of'  game  as  swarm  in  this  part  of  the  Zambesi 
Valley  I  never  even  dreamed  of.  A  number  of  zebras 
crossed  our  track,  and  we  observed  the  spoor  of  at  least 
six  different  species  of  antelope.  On  reaching  the  river 
we  found  that  the  men  had  captured  a  buffalo  calf  left 
behind  in  the  mad  rush,  and  which  supplied  us  with 
delicious  veal  steaks  for  dinner. 

We  got  under  way  again,  but  in  a  few  minutes  ar- 
rived at  the  Ngambwe  Falls.  These  falls  are  insignifi- 
cant in  themselves,  being  only  five  or  six  feet  high. 
Both  above  and  below  them  the  river-bed  is  full  of 
huge  boulders,  which  with  the  rapidity  of  the  current 
made  the  waters  so  tumultuous  that  we  were  obliged 
to  get  out  of  the  canoes  and  drag  them  by  land  for  a 
good  half-mile,  which  occupied  most  of  the  afternoon. 
The  day  was  gone,  and  we  camped.  I  shall  ever  remem- 
ber the  gorgeous  sunset  of  that  evening:  the  islands 
so  green,  and  the  reflection  in  the  water  so  pronounced, 
with  a  golden-hued  shade  over  all  as  old  Sol  retired, 
making  a  picture  to  which  no  painter's  brush  could  do 
justice. 

Next  morning  we  came  upon  the  finest  game  scene 


196 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


it  has  ever  been  my  lot  to  witness,  or  ever  expect  to 
see  again.  In  the  foreground,  close  to  the  water,  stood 
a  group  of  nine  zebras,  including  three  young  colts. 
Nothing  could  have  been  prettier  than  the  startled 
mien,  the  pricked  ears,  and  poise  of  the  heads  of  these 
graceful  animals,  with  their  beautifully  striped  coats 
of  cream  and  rich  dark  brown  glistening  in  the  morn- 
ing sun."  Beyond  them  a  few  yards  a  herd  of  liarte- 
beest  was  grazing,  and  at  a  short  distance  a  small 
valley,  like  a  dip  in  the  veldt,  was  red  with  hundreds 
of  roy  bucks.  One  of  the  men  jumped  ashore  and  shot 
a  zebra,  when  we  had  an  opportunity  to  examine  it 
closely.  Surely  this  is  the  most  beautiful  animal  in 
the  African  forests !  But  here  sentiment  must  give 
place  to  our  mundane  wants.  Zebra  meat  is  rather 
sweet  to  the  taste,  very  tender,  though  not  particularly 
savory;  but  to  this  the  men  make  no  objection,  for  to 
them  any  meat  is  toothsome.  Later  in  the  day,  when 
we  had  camped,  the  hunter  went  out  and  brought  in 
two  roy  bucks ;  but  we  are  getting  surfeited  with  ven- 
ison. I  would  gladly  give  the  finest  antelope  for  a  dish 
of  cabbage  or  a  few  potatoes;  it  is  now  sixteen  days 
since  we  have  tasted  vegetables  of  any  kind.  At  Lialui 
I  prepared  a  very  good  substitute  for  spinach  from 
pumpkin  leaves,  or  a  succulent  shrub  gathered  for  us 
by  the  natives,  that  served  in  some  measure  to  appease 
our  craving  for  green  food  and  aid  the  digestion,  which 
becomes  seriously  impaired  by  an  exclusive  meat  diet. 

I  have  been  wearing  for  the  past  few  weeks  a  pair  of 
"  veldt  schoons,"  native  made — uppers  of  koodoo  hide, 
soles  of  buffalo,  and  sewn  with  strips  of  antelope  skin. 
They  are  very  comfortable  to  the  feet,  and  are  excel- 


VELDT  SCHOONS. 


197 


lent  for  hunting  in  dry  weather,  but  get  like  a  piece  of 
wash-leather  when  wet.  I  was  obliged  to  put  on  a  pair 
of  heavy  boots  this  morning,  and,  having  walked  a  good 
deal,  find  my  heels  badly  blistered.  I  have  suffered 
intensely  in  the  past  from  the  strong  boots  I  brought 
with  me  from  England,  and  have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  they  are  no  good  for  these  tracks.  With  the 
exception  of  two  or  three  pairs  of  tennis-shoes,  I  have 
had  no  comfort  in  my  footgear  until  I  came  across 
"  veldt  schoons,"  and  I  mean  to  stick  to  these  as  long 
as  they  will  last — then  make  another  pair. 


CHAPTER  X. 


FROM  SESHEKE  TO  BAMANGWATO. 


At  Sesheke. — "Working  under  di£&culties. — Indifference  of  the  natives. — 
Pay  for  ''working  book." — Xot  quite  their  equal. — Capabilities  of  the 
soil. — Monsieur  Goy's  letter. — Draining  and  irrigation. — Canoes  capsized. 
— Kazungula. — The  French  mission. — Isolation  and  loneliness. — Pre- 
monitions of  trouble.— "Wholesale  desertions. — Lost  bearings. — A  monop- 
olist.— Tropical  scenery. — Victoria  Falls. — For  hours  vre  stand  gazing. 
— The  great  fissure. — Baboons. — Batokaland. — Retm-n  to  Kazungula. — 
Preparations  for  crossing  the  desert. — The  tsetse-fly  belt. — Pandama- 
tenka. — Rough  road. — A  broken  dessel-boom. — A  night  among  lions. — 
Program  of  a  day. — Xo  water. — Thirst,  thirst,  thirst ! — Bushmen. 


FEBRUARY  1st.    Now  all  is  changed;  tlie  Elysian 


JL  scenes  in  "wliich  we  have  reveled  these  many  days, 
to  us  are  no  more.  The  country  on  both  sides  is  again 
low,  flat,  and  sw^ampy;  few  trees,  and  consequently  no 
large  game,  but  aquatic  birds  abundant,  as  in  the  Ba- 
rotse.  We  made  a  long  run  to-day,  from  7  a.m.  until 
5.30  P.M.,  when  we  reached  Sesheke,  where  Dr.  Living- 
stone had  his  headquarters  while  exploring  in  these  re- 
gions. There  is  now^  here  a  station  of  the  Paris  Evan- 
gelical Mission,  in  charge  of  Monsieur  and  Madame 
Goy,  who  were  expecting  my  arrival,  and  tendered  me 
a  welcome  so  hearty  that  I  felt  very  much  at  home 

right  away.    I  met  Monsieur  Y  ,  a  young  French 

missionary,  who  arrived  here  a  few  weeks  ago ;  but  he 
has  suffered  so  severely  from  fever  that  he  is  unable 
to  remain,  and  is  now  making  preparations  to  return. 


198 


IVORKING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES. 


199 


Next  morning  tlie  chief,  Nananwana,  and  headmen 
assembled,  and  much  time  was  occupied  in  palaver, 
talking  over  the  prospects  of  my  journey  beyond  Ka- 
zungula,  as  they  have  to  find  more  carriers  for  me  by 
order  of  Lewanika,  for  we  are  still  in  his  territory. 
We  will  be  delayed  here  a  few  days,  as  the  overland 
caravan  has  not  yet  turned  up.  I  sent  on  the  two 
Jamaicans  in  charge  of  the  boats  and  goods  to  Kazun- 
gula,  as  I  find  the  spot  where  the  camp  is  pitched  very 
unhealthy,  and  they  are  having  constant  fever.  I  would 
have  left  one  or  even  both  these  young  men  at  either 
of  the  French  mission  stations;  but  from  the  fact  of 
their  suffering  so  much  from  the  fever,  I  realized  that 
to  do  so  meant  the  sacrifice  of  their  lives  at  no  distant 
date. 

February  9th.  The  whole  of  the  past  week  has  been 
spent  at  Sesheke,  waiting  for  the  loads  by  land.  They 
arrived  yesterday  afternoon  with  all  the  goods  safe; 
and  to-day  I  have  made  arrangements  to  start  for  Ka- 
zungula  to-morrow  morning.  The  work  on  this  sta- 
tion, like  most  new  missions  in  the  interior,  is  discour- 
aging in  the  extreme.  For  many  months  Monsieur 
Goy,  although  often  prostrated  with  fever,  brought  on 
by  exposure  and  fatigue,  has  been  bravely  toiling  at 
the  building  of  a  meeting-house,  and  has  at  last  com- 
pleted it.  He  had  to  go  to  the  forest  and  with  his  own 
hands  cut  the  lumber,  load  it  on  his  wagon,  and  drive 
it  home ;  then  to  prepare  the  wood  for  the  frame,  put 
on  the  rafters,  and  thatch  the  roof  with  grass,  almost 
without  aid,  for  he  could  not  persuade  the  natives  to 
risk  their  precious  lives  by  climbing  up  even  half-way 
to  hand  him  a  rafter  or  bundle  of  thatch.    The  few 


200 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


who  were  employed  to  cut  grass,  etc.,  gave  him  no  end 
of  worry,  every  pay-day  demanding  cloth  and  beads  far 
in  excess  of  the  quantity  agreed  upon,  or  the  nominal 
amount  of  work  performed. 

Last  Saturday  week,  after  infinite  labor  and  trouble, 
the  building  was  ready  for  holding  services,  and  Mon- 
sieur Groy  rejoiced  at  the  thought  that  now,  surely,  the 
people  would  come  and  hear  the  gospel  in  a  place  so 
comfortable,  yet  having  cost  -  them  nothing.  Monsieur 
Goy  proposed  to  have  a  formal  opening,  and  went 
around  the  villages  inviting  the  people  to  come.  About 
a  hundred  and  fifty  responded  to  the  call,  as  there  was 
to  be  a  roasted  ox  distributed.  But  yesterday,  there 
being  nothing  promised  to  eat,  the  service  commenced 
with  an  audience  consisting  of  the  chief,  five  lads,  and 
four  women.  About  a  dozen  more  sauntered  in  before 
the  close  of  the  service,  but  the  manifest  total  indiffer- 
ence of  the  natives  is  even  more  disheartening  than 
open  hostility.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  getting  peo- 
ple who  come  round  the  station  during  the  week  to 
listen,  even  with  apparent  interest,  for  hours  together, 
to  spiritual  counsel ;  but  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  con- 
clude that  their  assents  and  nods  of  approval  are  sin- 
cere. One  young  missionary,  in  his  innocence  and 
zeal,  was  so  delighted  with  the  long  conversations  he 
was  having  daily  with  three  men  posing  as  inquirers, 
that  it  formed  the  subject,  meanwhile,  of  a  very  inter- 
esting letter  he  was  writing  to  friends  at  home.  But 
near  the  end  of  the  week,  the  trio,  lingering  round  the 
door  to  a  later  hour  than  usual,  were  asked  why  they 
waited.  The  answer  was  prompt,  "  We  are  waiting  for 
five  days'  pay.'-    "  Pay  for  what  ? "  queried  the  aston- 


PAY  FOR  "IVORKING  BOOK.' 


201 


ished  missionary.  "  Well,  now !  Did  you  think  we  were 
coming  here  every  day  to  listen  to  yon  for  nothing ! " 

Thus  the  illusion  was  rudely  dispelled,  and,  like  an 
honest  man,  he  tore  up  the  interesting  letter. 

Monsieur  Coillard  and  others  have  had  similar  ex- 
periences in  attempting  to  get  lads  to  attend  school. 
They  expect  the  same  pay  for  "  working  book "  as  for 
any  other  form  of  labor,  and  the  young  under  instruc- 
tion at  the  various  schools  of  the  mission  are  mostly 
those  sent  by  the  chiefs,  who  are  quite  willing  to  have 
the  cliildren  taught  to  read,  provided  the  missionary 
takes  the  entire  charge  of  them,  supplying  them  with 
food  and  clothing  at  his  own  expense.  The  Christian 
workers  see  fresh  proofs  every  day  of  how  little,  after 
all,  "  the  line  upon  line  and  precept  upon  precept "  has 
affected  the  natives.  They  steal  from  him  at  every 
opportunity,  and  very  rarely  can  he  obtain  any  redress 
from  the  chiefs;  consequently  Monsieur  Goy  and  his 
brother  missionaries  are  obliged  to  provide  themselves 
with  large  dogs  to  protect  their  property. 

But  for  the  sure  promise  of  a  day  of  reaping,  if  even 
long  delayed,  he  would  often  be  tempted  to  abandon 
the  task  as  hopeless,  and  retire  from  the  field  in  despair. 

It  has  been  said  that  slavery  has  left  its  stamp  on 
the  negroes  of  the  West  Indies,  so  that  it  is  difficult 
now  to  eradicate  the  evil  propensities  acquired  by 
their  forefathers  in  the  days  of  forced  labor.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  one  thing  is  certain :  great  good  would  ac- 
crue to  these  natives  by  compelling  them  to  perform 
some  honest  work,  and  keeping  them  at  it,  for  at  least 
eight  hours  a  day,  until  they  learned  the  value  of 
manual  labor.    Their  natural  conceit,  pride,  and  lazi- 


202 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ness  are  traits  of  character  that  are  alraost  prohibitive  of 
their  accepting  the  teachings  or  following  the  example 
of  the  white  man,  whom  the  natives,  of  these  parts  at 
least,  look  upon  as — to  put  it  mildly — not  quite  their 
equal. 

Never,  until  the  i3resent  absolute  power  of  the  big- 
chiefs  over  the  body  and  soul  of  their  vassals  is  broken 
(which,  however,  must  come  at  no  distant  period),  will 
there  be  any  real  success  in  spreading  the  gospel  among 
them.  The  missionary  is  ever  conscious  that  while  he 
is  speaking,  the  people  before  him,  if  they  think  at  all, 
are  debating  in  their  own  minds,  "  "Were  I  to  become  a 
Christian,  what  would  my  chief  say  ? "  for  well  they 
know  that  the  ethics  of  Christianity  are  condemnatory 
of  the  life,  conduct,  and  character  of  their  rulers. 

Before  leaving  Seslieke,  let  me  answer  the  question, 

What  are  the  prospects  for  agriculture  in  the  Zambesi 
Yalley!"  by  quoting  a  letter  received  from  Monsieur 
Goy,  who  is  an  authority  on  the  subject,  not  only  by 
reason  of  his  practical  experience  of  several  years  in 
the  country,  but  also  because  his  knowledge  as  a  scien- 
tific agriculturist  gives  special  importance  to  his  tes- 
timony. Monsieur  Goy,  I  may  mention,  is  a  native  of 
Switzerland.    He  writes : 

"  I  would  like  to  assist  incognito  at  the  lectures  you 
will  give  on  your  peregrinations  through  the  Dark  Con- 
tinent. Yet  I  am  sure  you  will  not  imitate  so  many 
travelers,  who  in  their  own  interest  have  always  over- 
praised Africa,  in  estimating  too  highly  its  mineral 
wealth  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil  in  certain  regions. 
You  will  render  a  great  service  to  the  general  public  in 
describing  the  country  along  the  Zambesi  River,  which 


MONSIEUR  GOY'S  LETTER.  203 

is  supposed  to  be  one  of  the  gardens  of  Africa,  but 
in  reality  is  most  desolate.  Being  in  the  tropics,  one 
would  expect  to  meet  with  all  the  fruits  and  products  of 
those  regions ;  but  you  find  nothing  else  than  mealies, 
Kaffir-corn,  and  millet,  and  very  inferior  fruits  indeed. 
The  harvest  is  generally  very  small,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing the  game  and  fish,  which  are  abundant,  people 
suffer  from  scarcity  of  food  every  year.  We  are  the 
only  strangers,  and  yet  have  to  make  provision  in  ad- 
vance against  the  time  of  famine.  One  would,  then, 
wonder  if  by  active  and  intelligent  work  the  European 
cultures  could  not  be  introduced  here.  I  can  only  say 
that  that  plan  would  have  little  chance  of  success. 

"For  five  years  I  have  lived  in  this  country,  and 
traveled  much,  but  have  not  been  able  to  find  two 
square  miles  of  clay  soil.  I  have  studied  the  question 
more  than  anything  else,  as  it  was  my  vocation  by 
choice.  I  had  prepared  myself  for  it  by  a  long  and 
special  apprenticeship.  In  coming  to  the  Zambesi  I 
proposed  to  do  agricultural  work,  but  with  a  purely 
missionary  aim.  I  left  France  with  much  courage  and 
hope  for  the  success  of  this  special  mission,  which  had 
been  intrusted  to  me  by  our  committee,  and  began 
working  at  Sefula  by  opening  a  canal  of  two  miles  to 
di*ain  a  marshy  ground,  and  disposing  that  canal  in  a 
way  that  made  easy  the  watering  of  my  plantations. 
A  great  deception  was  in  store  for  me:  the  ground, 
once  exposed  to  the  sun,  turned  out  to  be  pure  white 
sand,  and  I  don't  believe  that  a  better  result  would 
have  been  found  in  any  other  place.  With  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  one  might  succeed  in  growing  a  few 
vegetables  for  his  own  use,  but  nothing  to  speak  of. 


204 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


My  own  experience  shows  that  everything  imported, 
animals  of  every  kind  as  well  as  seeds,  degenerate,  and 
have  to  be  renewed  after  a  couple  of  years. 

"  This  country,  judged  with  impartiality,  is  not  a 
country  with  a  bright  future,  and  offers  no  induce- 
ments to  civilization.  The  Europeans  who  labor  here 
as  missionaries  do  so  from  a  sense  of  duty,  and  not 
from  choice." 

February  10th.  Having  bade  farewell  to  the  kind 
friends  at  Sesheke  with  whom  I  have  put  in  a  week 
so  happily,  we  started  this  morning  in  a  swift  canoe, 
thirty-two  feet  long,  twenty-four  inches  beam,  and 
twelve  inches  deep,  with  five  strong  paddlers,  intend- 
ing, if  possible,  to  reach  Kazungula  to-night,  a  distance 
of  seventy  miles.  By  noon  we  were  in  the  rapids  of 
Mombova,  where  I  learned  that  two  of  my  canoes  sent 
on  ahead  last  week  got  capsized,  and  the  loads,  not  be- 
ing properly  secured  to  the  canoes,  went  to  the  bottom. 
They  were  all  recovered,  however,  and,  as  they  consisted 
chiefly  of  trade  cloth,  etc.,  will  be  easily  dried.  We  were 
more  fortunate,  and  reached  our  destination  without 
any  mishaps  at  3.30  p.m.,  making  the  journey  in  eight 
hours'  actual  traveling.  The  quicker  one  makes  this 
run,  the  better,  for  it  is  most  uninteresting,  being  shut 
in  nearly  all  the  way  by  tall  reeds  and  papyrus  on  either 
side,  the  neighboring  swamps  exhaling,  in  the  early 
morning  particularly,  a  vile  malarious  odor. 

On  arriving  I  was  warmly  greeted  by  Monsieur  and 
Madame  Jalla,  of  still  another  French  mission  station, 
situated  close  to  the  drift,  where  all  who  visit  Lewanika's 
country  from  the  south  must  cross  the  Zambesi.  It  was 
expected  that  many  natives  would  come  and  settle  here ; 


A  BRAVE  WOMAN. 


205 


but,  although  several  years  have  passed  since  the  station 
was  established,  these  hopes  have  not  been  realized. 
There  is  not  a  village  or  a  native  hut  within  a  mile  on 
this  side,  and  the  site  is  very  unhealthy ;  for  when  the 
river  is  in  flood  the  water  rises  to  Avithin  a  few  yards  of 
the  dwelling-house,  leaving  heaps  of  debris  and  mud  as 
it  recedes.  I  found  Frater  and  Jonathan  comfortably 
ensconced  in  an  old  wagon,  while  all  the  goods  were 
safely  stored  in  a  hut.  Here  I  discharge  the  Barotse 
boatmen  and  wait  for  the  carriers  to  turn  up  who  are 
to  take'  my  loads  on  the  next  stage  of  the  journey.-  They 
are  assembling  every  day  in  response  to  the  call  of  the 
sub-chiefs  sent  out  by  the  king  to  coUect  them  from 
the  various  villages;  over  a  hundred  are  already  in 
camp. 

To-day  Jack  told  me  that  his  father  (who  lives  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river)  objects  to  his  accompanying  me 
farther  as  interpreter  unless  I  promise  bigger  money. 
At  present  I  am  paying  him  twice  as  much  as  he  could 
earn  any  other  way,  so  I  quietly  told  him,  much  to  his 
chagrin,  that  I  will  endeavor  to  get  along  without  him. 
A  few  minutes  after.  Monsieur  Jalla  told  me  that  he  had 
often  thought  of  the  prospects  there  might  be  for  mis- 
sion work  in  the  Batoka  country,  through  which  I  in- 
tended to  travel,  and  expressed  his  desire  to  accompany 
me  as  far  as  the  Kafukwe  River.  He  knows  the  Sesutu 
language  well,  and  several  of  the  men  know  both  it  and 
Setoka,  so  that  the  interpreter  difficulty  is  solved. 

All  being  well,  we  start  on  Tuesday  morning. 

Madame  Jalla  is  a  brave  little  woman,  and  readily 
consents  to  being  left  all  alone  until  her  husband's 
return,  probably  three  or  four  months  hence.    The  iso- 


206 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


lation  and  loneliness  of  missionary  life  here  can  scarcely 
be  realized  by  workers  in  more  favored  splieres.  The 
home  life  and  its  pleasures  must  be  held  with  a  light 
hand,  for  malarial  fever  ceases  not  in  its  deadly  work, 
sparing  no  one.  No  loving  care  or  frequent  precaution 
can  do  more  than  lessen  the  attacks  of  the  invisible  foe. 
The  merry  voices  of  the  children  and  the  patter  of  little 
feet  must  be  heard  by  the  parents  as  music  that  is  pass- 
ing.   Madame  J  alia  in  a  recent  letter  writes : 

"  Our  little  darling  Valdo  is  still  very  well  in  health ; 
he  is  not  yet  eight  months  old.  You  know  that  the 
greatest  trial  of  the  missionaries  on  the  Zambesi  is  that 
up  till  now  they  have  always  lost  their  children  quite 
young.  We  have  two  dear  little  girls  buried  here,  and 
that  makes  us  appreciate  all  the  more  this  third  child, 
who  seems  so  strong  and  well;  but  the  fever  is  here, 
threatening  us  continually,  and  our  joy  in  having  him 
is  always  mixed  with  fear." 

There  is  as  yet  no  church  formed  or  meeting-house 
erected  on  this  station.  The.  trials  incidental  to  mission- 
ary life  are  at  Kazungula  of  a  similar  nature  to  those 
experienced  at  the  other  stations  of  this  mission.  The 
work  to  which  these  heroic  men  and  women  have  de- 
voted their  lives  can  only  be  described,  at  present,  as 
resembling  the  dead  of  winter.  Now  they  suffer  the 
chilling  blasts  of  a  dreary,  lifeless,  and  frozen  apathy 
on  the  part  of  those  whose  good  they  seek;  but  as 
springtime  and  the  singing  of  birds  must  follow  winter 
and  the  trees  put  forth  the  tender  leaf,  then  after  a 
season  of  shower  and  sunshine  bring  forth  fruit,  until 
the  husbandman  is  made  to  rejoice  over  garnered  crops, 
so  to  these  tried  and  faithful  toilers  shall  come  a  day 


PREMONITIONS  OF  TROUBLE 


207 


when  "both  he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapeth  shall 
rejoice  together." 

Monday,  16th.  We  have  now  a  hundred  and  fifty  men 
in  camp,  one  third  being  porters,  the  rest  a  company  of 
warriors  sent  by  Lewanika  to  escort  us  as  far  as  the 
Kafukwe  River.  I  have  been  busy'  all  day  allotting 
loads,  but  somehow  with  many  misgivings.  There  is  a 
great  deal  of  talk  among  the  headmen  concerning  the 
dangers  we  are  to  encounter,  etc.,  and,  to  cap  all,  a 
rumor  has  reached  them  that  an  impi  of  Matebele,  the 
tribe  oi  all  others  they  most  dread,  has  crossed  the 
river  •  into  Batokaland  and  are  lying  in  wait  for  us. 
Now  these  men,  who  but  a  short  time  ago  in  a  war- 
dance  vowed  they  would  annihilate  any  opposing  host, 
however  strong,  are  paralyzed  with  fear,  and  I  should 
not  be  surprised  if,  after  all,  I  am  prevented  from  pro- 
ceeding by  the  north  bank  of  the  Zambesi.  Most  of 
these  braves  have  followed  us  over  four  hundred  and 
fifty  miles,  surely  not  to  show  the  white  feather  now ! 
Yes,  and  at  the  only  time  when  their  company  is  act- 
ually required. 

All  is  ready  for  the  march  on  the  morning  of  the  18th, 
when  a  servant  reports  that  my  camp  is  deserted.  ^  The 
cowardly  fellows  have  fled  during  the  night,  doubtless 
to  relate  to  the  king  a  story  of  the  appalling  dangers 
they  have  escaped.  Well,  better  that  they  go  here  than 
later  on,  when  I  might  have  been  in  a  worse  fix ;  thus 
I  am  left  alone  again  with  my  two  Jamaicans.  This  is 
a  crusher,  but,  like  tlie  African  fever,  we  get  used  to  it. 
The  future  is  now  dark,  but  in  a  few  days,  no  doubt,  it 
will  brighten.  I  must  look  around  for  some  other  means 
for  continuing  my  journey  eastward.    In  the  meantime, 


208 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


accompanied  by  Monsieur  Jalla  and  a  few  boys  to  cany 
some  blankets,  we  set  out  on  a  week's  tramp  through 
Batoka,  so  as  to  see  something  of  the  natives  and  visit 
Africa's  greatest  wonder,  the  Victoria  Falls. 

We  went  by  canoe  as  far  as  the  Nanpwi  Rapids, 
where  we  hid  the  boat  and  took  to  a  footpath  along  the 
river-bank  leading  to  a  small  village,  which  we  reached 
at  6  P.M.  We  turned  aside  among  the  long  grass  and 
bivouacked  under  a  large  tree,  thinking  it  would  serve 
the  purpose  of  a  tent ;  but  its  shelter,  together  with  the 
long  grass,  harbored  such  hordes  of  mosquitoes  that 
when  supper  was  ready  our  hands  were  so  busy  keep- 
ing off  the  wretched  tormentors  that  we  could  scarcely 
get  a  chance  to  carry  the  food  to  our  mouths.  We  ate 
but  little,  and,  being  tired,  wrapped  ourselves  in  our 
thick  blankets  and  tried  to  rest;  but  it  was  a  weary 
night.  Not  ten  minutes'  sleep  could  we  catch,  and  our 
arms  ached  with  the  perpetual  whacking  right  and  left, 
which  we  had  to  keep  up  in  vain  efforts  to  defend  our- 
selves from  the  "  pesky  varmint." 

At  daylight  we  had  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  set  out  on 
the  march.  There  was  scarcely  any  perceptible  path — 
now  through  a  rocky  ravine,  then  across  a  broad  stretch 
of  grass  eight  to  ten  feet  high.  We  had  soon  more 
than  enough  of  it  while  trusting  to  the  proverbial  na- 
tive who  knows  all  about  the  forest  and  has  a  natural 
instinct  for  finding  his  way  anywhere  in  the  woods. 
After  following  him  for  two  hours,  we  found  by  his 
twisting  and  turning  that  he  had  lost  his  bearings; 
so,  deposing  him  from  the  position  of  guide,  we  took 
our  own  way,  making  a  bee-line  at  a  right  angle  to  our 
previous  course,  and  to  a  point  ahead  where  the  hills 


A  MONOPOLIST. 


209 


on  either  side  seemed  to  converge,  and  between  wliicli 
we  knew  the  river  must  pass.  We  were  not  mistaken, 
and  with  a  feehng  of  relief  we  found  ourselves  on  the 
right  road. 

About  noon  we  sat  down  in  a  cool  shade  for  break- 
fast, rested  for  a  couple  of  hours,  and  started  again. 
No  large  game  sighted,  but  I  got  a  few  guinea-fowls  and 
partridges.  We  halted  at  5.30  p.m.  under  some  mopani 
trees,  and  in  the  stillness  of  the  evening  could  hear  the 
distant  boom  of  the  famous  cataract. 

Daybreak  saw  us  again  on  the  track,  which  in  most 
places  was  only  imaginary  and  very  rough.  But  the 
chief  annoyance  was  from  a  certain  kind  of  grass  that 
sheds  innumerable  small,  sharp,  claw-shaped  prickles, 
which  stuck  to  our  clothes,  penetrating  to  the  skin  like 
hundreds  of  needles,  scarifying  us  all  over.  By  noon 
we  reached  the  village  of  the  chief  at  the  drift,  who  tries 
to  hold  the  monopoly  of  ferrying  people  over  the  river 
about  a  mile  above  the  falls ;  but  he  did  not  seem  in- 
clined to  oblige  us  right  away,  in  spite  of  the  proffered 
pay  and  present,  only  remarking  that  he  would  think 
about  it  and  see  us  to-morrow.  He  meant  thereby  to 
show  how  little  he  cared  for  white  men,  and  desiring 
above  all  that  we  might  eat  a  little  "  humble  pie "  by 
being  under  the  necessity  of  coaxing  and  begging  him 
to  favor  us.  Resenting  this  idea.  Monsieur  Jalla  went 
to  interview  another  chief — an  old  Makalolo  named 
Mosatane,  one  of  the  very  few  remaining  of  that  almost 
exterminated  tribe — who  treated  us  with  much  more 
respect,  presenting  us  with  a  sheep  and  plenty  of  meal, 
and  pi'omising  to  see  us  over  in  the  morning. 

We  spent  the  night  in  a  lovely  grove  near  the  river- 


210 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


side.  The  scenery  here  is  particularly  fine.  The  river, 
though  about  a  mile  wide,  is  broken  up  by  large  islands 
of  from  a  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  yards; 
these  islands  are  clad  with  the  most  tropical-looking 
vegetation  we  have  seen.  There  are  numerous  date 
palms  of  considerable  size,  but,  like  everything  else  in 
this  disappointing  country,  the  fruit  is  a  delusion,  con- 
sisting of  a  large  stone  covered  with  a  very  thin  film  of 
edible  substance.  Looking  down  the  river,  we  see  five 
columns  of  spray,  white  as  snow,  rising  slowly  high 
above  the  falls,  and  lingering  in  clouds  that  glisten 
beautifully  in  the  sunlight.  Early  in 'the  morning  Mo- 
satane  appeared  with  the  canoes  and  paddled  us  over  to 
the  west  bank,  where  the  falls  can  be  seen  to  the  best 
advantage.  Half  an  hour's  walk  brought  us  close  to 
the  renowned  cataract,  Mosia-ua-tunia,  or  Victoria  Falls, 
as  Livingstone  named  them. 

We  found  a  couple  of  small  huts  close  by,  which 
came  in  handy  as  a  temporary  shelter  for  us  while  we 
stayed.  The  numerous  well-beaten  tracks  in  the  bush 
surrounding  the  falls  suggest  the  idea  that  there  must 
be  any  number  of  visitors  frequenting  the  spot.  Such 
is  not  the  explanation ;  they  are  formed  by  hippos  in 
their  nightly  perambulations.  These  animals  abound 
in  hundreds,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  square  yard  from 
the  verge  of  the  precipice  to  a  radius  of  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  that  does  not  bear  their  spoor.  According  to  the 
natives,  once  or  twice  a  year  is  about  the  frequency 
with  which  white  people  make  their  appearance  here, 
and  the  Kaffirs  wonder  very  much  what  even  these 
come  for,  for  the}^  see  nothing  extraordinary  in  this,  to 
us,  almost  unparalleled  wonder.   We  asked  a  woman  on 


yiCTORIA  FALLS. 


211 


the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  living  within  two  miles 
of  the  falls,  if  she  had  ever  seen  them.  Her  reply  was 
characteristic:  "Oh  no!  What  should  I  go  and  see 
them  for !  Is  there  any  one  going  to  pay  me  for  my 
trouble?" 

In  the  afternoon  we  went  to  view  the  attraction  that 
had  induced  us  to  walk  fifty  rough  and  weary  miles. 
The  banks  are  densely  wooded  with  huge  trees  and  thick 
underbrush.  When  within  a  stone's-throw  of  the  water 
we  entered  an  atmosphere  of  perpetual  drizzle,  kept  up 
by  the  spray  that  rises  unceasingly  in  great  volumes 
and  carried  in  the  direction  of  the  wind,  to  fall  in  fine 
rain.  The  ground  is  sopping  wet ;  every  now  and  then 
we  sink  to  the  ankles  in  mud,  and  in  a  few  minutes  are 
drenched  through.  Yet  for  hours  we  stand  gazing  in 
amazement  and  awe,  contemplating  this  the  greatest 
natural  phenomenon  we  have  ever  seen.  Now  we  are 
on  the  edge  of  the  chasm;  but  it  is  impossible,  with 
either  pen  or  pencil  or  camera,  to  give  anything  like 
an  adequate  idea  of  the  majestic  splendor  of  this  rival 
of  Niagara. 

The  river  is  about  a  mile  broad  as  it  dashes  over  a 
precipice  four  hundred  feet  in  depth,  in  a  straight  line 
across  its  entire  width.  The  chasm  into  which  the 
river  plunges  is  a  narrow  rent  not  more  than  a  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  runs  at  right  angles  to  its 
course,  getting  narrower  toward  the  eastern  bank.  The 
opposite  side  of  the  fissure  is  very  precipitous,  of  hard 
basaltic  rock,  and  almost  on  a  level  with  the  river 
above ;  but  on  account  of  the  dense  fog  one  cannot  see 
more  than  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  at  a  time,  and 
that  only  when  a  gust  of  wind  blows  it  to  one  side, 


212 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


which,  though  momentary,  bears  repeating  many  times 
over,  and  well  repays  the  exercise  of  patience,  for 
through  these  rifts  we  get  a  magnificent  view  of  the 
lovely  blue  water  above,  flowing  calmly  and  tranquilly 
onward  until  it  crashes  into  the  seething  abyss  below. 
The  palm-bearing  islands  in  the  distance  form  a  pict- 
uresque background  to  the  sublimely  beautiful  scene. 
While  viewed  in  sunshine,  the  double  zones  of  pris- 
matic colors  formed  in  the  spray  have  a  brilliancy  com- 
pared with  which  an  ordinary  rainbow  is  but  a  faint 
semblance.  Livingstone,  Baines,  and  Mohr  have  each 
in  turn  given  their  impressions  of  the  Victoria  Falls. 
The  latter,  a  shrewd  and  keen  observer,  writes : 

"  I  will  now  endeavor  to  give  a  feeble  description  of 
the  great  cataract  itself.  The  majestic  river,  a  mile 
wide,  comes  down  from  the  north- northwest,  and  flings 
its  waters  down  four  hundred  feet  into  a  rocky  ravine, 
varying  in  width  from  two  hundred  and  forty  to  three 
hundi'ed  feet,  which  runs  across  its  bed.  From  the 
river  above  the  falls  rise  many  islands,  all  adorned 
with  the  richest  tropical  vegetation.  The  banks  are 
covered  with  vast  but  not  dense  forests,  in  which  occur 
whole  groups  of  tall-stemmed  palms,  giving  a  thor- 
oughly southern  character  to  the  scenery.  Near  the 
faUs  the  water  hurries  along  with  flying  speed,  and 
the  long  ribbons  of  foam  everywhere  to  be  seen  make 
it  look  as  if  it  were  boiling.  Near  the  western  bank 
lies  a  little  island,  about  a  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
from  the  brink,  and  here  the  bed  of  the  stream  seems 
to  dip  suddenly,  for  the  water  leaps  down  with  a  roar 
and  a  rush,  like  a  huge  sea- wave.  At  this  point,  quite 
at  the  eastern  corner,  a  ridge  of  rock  juts  out,  on  to 


THE  SOUND  OF  MANY  WATERS. 


213 


wliich  any  one  not  subject  to  giddiness  can  step,  when 
he  will  have,  on  the  left,  the  fall  just  described,  and  in 
front  the  long  line  of  the  great  cataract,  which  can  of 
course  only  be  partially  seen,  for  the  compressed  air 
drawn  down  with  the  flood  and  filled  with  drops  of 
water  escapes  continually  and  rises  in  eddies,  produc- 
ing the  spray-clouds,  which  gleam  like  specters  far 
above  this  great  ^ altar'  of  the  waters.  After  looking 
down  for  some  time  into  this  raging,  leaping,  foaming, 
heaving  chaos,  deafened  by  the  terrible  noise  of  the 
maddened  .waters,  and  shaken  by  the  menacing  howl 
rising  up  continuously  from  the  depths,  which  seems 
to  pierce  through  bone  and  marrow,  one  wonders  how 
the  rocks,  those  hard  ribs  of  the  earth,  can  withstand 
the  shock  of  such  a  mighty  onset. 

"  After  I  had  gazed  at  this  glorious  scene  for  some 
time  I  began  to  feel  stunned,  and  I  went  a  hundred 
paces  to  the  south  in  the  direction  of  our  camp.  Here 
I  was  on  rocky  ground,  within  the  sphere  of  the  spray 
veil,  and  one  moment  was  wrapped  in  it  as  in  a  thick 
fog,  while  the  next  it  was  suddenly  rent  asunder  by  a 
gust  of  wind,  the  most  brilliant  sunbeams  pouring 
through  the  gap,  succeeded,  however,  almost  immedi- 
ately by  a  fresh  shower  of  spray. 

"Turning  round  on  this  spot  with  the  face  to  the 
north,  a  singular  impression  is  produced,  for  the  abyss 
and  the  long  line  of  clouds  rising  from  the  earth  are 
visible,  but  the  waterfall  is  hidden  by  the  intervening 
trees  and  bushes. 

"  Anxious  to  get  a  front  view  of  the  falls,  I  now 
made  my  way  through  the  forest — which  may  not  in- 
aptly be  called  the  ^rain  forest,'  its  luxuriance  being 


214 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


the  result  of  continual  showers  of  spray — and  found 
the  ground  marked  by  the  countless  footprints  of 
elephants  and  buffaloes,  attracted,  doubtless,  by  the 
cool  mud-baths  to  be  had  here. 

"The  upper  side  of  the  chasm,  running  across  the 
bed  of  the  stream,  ends  in  a  projecting  slab  of  rock, 
and  before  us  on  the  east  lies  the  channel — here  two 
hundred  and  seventy  feet  wide — which  is  the  only  out- 
let for  the  whole  volume  of  water.  Stepping  on  to  the 
slab  of  rock,  and  looking  to  the  north-northwest,  we 
have  a  view  of  the  whole  long  line  of  falls.  As  the 
river,  owing  to  the  late  rains,  was  still  very  much 
swollen,  I  saw  them  under  very  favorable  circum- 
stances, for  the  black  rock-masses  were  almost  entirely 
hidden  by  the  indescribably  beautiful  water  draperies, 
the  abrupt  naked  rock-chasms  only  yawning  here  and 
there  through  the  white  veil  of  spray.  When  I  saw 
the  cataract,  the  first  fall  consisted  of  one  long,  un- 
broken, shining,  greenish-blue  wave,  which,  as  it  sped 
on  its  farther  course,  resolved  itself  into  ever  finer, 
whiter,  and  more  delicately  rounded  cloud-forms. 

"  This  is  the  point  from  which  the  visitor  can  obtain 
the  grandest  view  of  the  incomparable  Victoria  Falls 
of  the  Zambesi.  Before  us  we  have  the  full  glory  of 
the  falling  mass  of  water,  ever  moving,  ever  chang- 
ing, blustering,  foaming,  glowing,  shining,  with  small 
green  islands  peeping  over  the  very  edge  of  the  abyss, 
and  on  the  left  and  right,  above  and  below,  water, 
water  everywhere,  hurrying  onward  with  a  continu- 
ous roar  like  thunder.  In  front  of  the  falls,  where  the 
waters  from  the  west  and  east  meet  and  embrace,  hang 
suspended  two  double  circular  rainbows,  unbroken  by 


THE  GREAT  FISSURE. 


215 


any  horizon,  the  magic  hues  glowing  in  the  briUiant 
tropical  sunbeams,  blue,  yellow,  and  red  succeeding 
each  other  in  the  outer,  and  red,  yellow,  and  blue  in 
the  inner  ring.  .  .  . 

"  Livingstone,  who  made  his  observations  with  a 
pocket  chronometer,  which  showed  the  mean  Grreen- 
wich  time,  gives  the  longitude  as  25°  45'  E.  I  place 
my  observation  forty-four  minutes  of  longitude  farther 
east. 

"  The  height  of  the  veil  of  spray  which  hovers  above 
the  falls  I  measured  wit'.i  a  sextant  and  a  base-line 
equal  to  550  feet ;  the  angle  a  was  found  at  50°,  which 
gives  for  the  opposite  angle  a  the  length  =  655.5  feet ; 
add  to  this  400  feet  depth  of  abyss,  and  we  have  1055 
feet  ascension,  a  result  differing  only  by  40  feet  from 
that  given  by  Baines.  Of  course  the  height  varies 
every  day,  according  to  the  volume  of  water  in  the 
river,  the  temperature,  and  the  strength  of  the  wind  

"After  the  Zambesi  has  made  its  way  through  the 
pass,  two  hundred  and  seventy  feet  wide,  it  rolls  on  in 
sinuous  fashion,  describing  three  or  four  wide  curves. 
The  bed  is  so  narrow  that  its  depth  must  be  enormous 
to  accommodate  such  a  vast  volume  of  water.  The 
banks  consist  of  perpendicular  rocks  five  hundred  or 
six  hundred  feet  high,  absolutely  inaccessible  to  men, 
though  many  baboons,  which  have  taken  up  their 
abode  here,  climb  up  and  down  them  with  ease." 

I  have  to  apologize  for  the  accompanying  photo- 
graphic views  of  the  falls,  as  they  by  no  means  convey 
the  impression  of  grandeur  produced  on  an  eye-witness. 
They  are  only  "  bits,"  showing  the  water  as  it  takes  the 
leap  clear  of  the  rock  into  what — the  reader  must  be 


216 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


left  to  imagine,  as  the  most  rugged  and  imposing  por- 
tions are  so  shrouded  in  spray  that  the  negatives  taken 
appear  as  if  "  hght  struck,"  or  "  fogged,"  while  it  is  not 
in  the  power  of  the  camera  to  "  shoot  around  corners," 
therefore  cannot  look  over  the  brink  into  the  four  hun- 
dred feet  of  chasm  below,  where  the  foaming  waters 
are  tossed  into  billows  of  snowy  whiteness,  dashing  on 
to  the  outlet  at  the  eastern  bank.  For  many  miles  the 
course  of  the  Zambesi  below  the  falls  zigzags  in  acute 
angles  every  few  hundred  yards. 

On  the  24tli  I  walked  down  as  far  as  the  first  bend, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant.  This  turn  is  most 
abrupt,  the  gorge  narrow,  and  the  water  very  deep, 
the  surface  streaked  with  foam.  The  left  of  the  "  Pro- 
file Cliff"  photo  represents  the  eastern  extremity  of 
the  falls,  where  the  waters  leave  the  narrow  chasm 
and  continue  their  course  toward  the  Indian  Ocean. 
"While  returning  to  camp  I  came  across  a  lot  of  baboons 
the  size  of  eight-year-old  boys,  but,  being  alone,  gave 
them  a  wide  berth. 

On  the  25th,  though  loath  to  leave  this  enchanting 
spot,  we  rolled  up  our  blankets  and  silently  stole  away ; 
but  not  while  my  pulse  beats  shall  I  forget  the  experi- 
ence of  these  three  days.  Mosatane  was  on  hand  to 
ferry  us  over,  and  invited  us  to  his  village  to  see  his 
people.  We  followed  him,  and  under  big  tree  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  compound  set  about  preparing  breakfast. 
We  were  honored  by  a  visit  from  four  of  his  wives, 
who  brought  us  meal  and  Kaffir  beer ;  we  particularly 
appreciated  the  latter,  for  we  were  very  thirsty.  The 
day  passed  rather  wearily,  being  besieged  by  natives 
from  morning  till  night.    I  was  mortified  to  discover 


IN  BATOKALAND. 


217 


that  the  chief  object  of  Mosatane's  inviting  us  to  his 
village  was  that  he  might  beg  from  us  whatever  he  set 
eyes  on.  He  did  not  get  anything,  all  the  same,  except 
what  he  gave  us  an  equivalent  for.  One  soon  gets  sick 
of  these  people  when  finding  that  it  is  an  utter  impos- 
sibility for  them  to  show  a  single  disinterested  act  of 
kindness :  be  their  present  great  or  small,  they  without 
exception  get  angry  if  they  do  not  receive  a  deal  more 
than  its  value  in  return.  Seldom,  if  ever,  have  I  seen 
an  exception  to  this. 

We  observed  that  the  tribal  mark  of  the  Matoka  is 
the  absence  of  the  two  upper  central  incisors,  these 
being  removed  in  early  life.  The  custom,  though  a 
personal  disfigurement,  is  universal.  Mosatane  reveres 
the  name  of  Livingstone,  with  whom  he  had  made 
many  long  journeys,  and  tells  numerous  stories  con- 
cerning him,  but  all  in  the  highest  praise  of  the  great 
explorer.  At  Sesheke  we  met  two  old  men,  Makumba 
•  and  Ratau,  who  also  claimed  to  have  been  in  the  ser- 
vice of  Livingstone;  they  vied  with  each  other  in 
extolling  his  character,  and  apparently  recalled  the 
memory  of  the  years  spent  in  his  service  with  great 
pleasure. 

In  the  early  morning,  after  a  cup  of  coifee,  we  were 
once  more  afoot;  but  in  an  hour  or  two  fever  began 
to  assert  itself  on  me,  and  I  struggled  along  with  an 
aching  and  throbbing  head,  while  my  mouth  became 
so  parched  and  dry  that  I  felt  as  though  the  mucous 
membrane  would  strip  off  if  I  closed  my  lips.  We 
rested  for  three  hours  at  noon,  and  marched  again 
until  evening,  covering  about  twenty-five  miles.  We 
lay  down  for  the  night  near  a  pool  of  water,  but  mos- 


218 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


quitoes  were  there  in  millions,  and  sleep  was  impossi- 
ble. At  daybreak,  for  which  we  had  longed,  I  struggled 
to  my  feet  again,  still  very  feverish,  but  managed  to 
do  another  twenty  miles,  w^liicli  brought  us  to  the  place 
where  we  had  left  onr  canoe.  In  two  and  a  half  hours 
we  were  at  Kazungula  again. 

For  the  past  two  days  I  have  eaten  nothing  and  done 
a  good  bit  of  tramping,  and  now  feel  mnch  inclined  to 
go  to  bed  for  a  week.  The  journey  to  the  falls  and 
back  has  been  a  trying  one,  but  we  were  more  than 
repaid  for  the  trouble,  and  with  the  aid  of  Madame 
Jalla's  unremitting  kindness  I  hope  to  be  soon  all  right 
again. 

February  28th.  I  feel  very  much  better,  only  that 
the  twenty-five  to  thirty-grain  doses  of  quinine  make 
my  ears  ring  unpleasantly,  and  I  can  hear  nothing  else. 
But  what  is  to  be  the  next  move  I  I  cannot  delay  long 
here.  No  other  way  seems  open  but  to  cross  the  Kala- 
hari Desert,  visit  Khama's  town  and  see  what  an  Afri- 
can township  is  like  under  a  Christian  native  king  (for 
I  have  seen  enough  of  the  other  sort) ;  then  from  Ba- 
mangwato  to  strike  north  through  Mashonaland  and 
reach  my  goal,  the  Lakes,  in  some  way,  not  yet  very 
clear  to  me.  But,  believing  it  to  be  possible,  I  will 
make  the  attempt. 

I  crossed  the  river  to  the  west  bank  to  interview  two 
English  hunters  who  are  waiting  for  an  answer  from 
Lewanika  to  the  request  for  permission  to  hunt  ele- 
phants in  his  country.  I  found  them  very  short  of 
trade  stuff,  of  which  I  have  a  good  supply.  They  hav- 
ing a  bullock-cart  and  oxen  with  two  Colony  drivers, 
whom  I  had  the  option  of  engaging,  business  was  speed- 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  CROSSING  THE  DESERT.  219 

ily  arranged  to  our  mutual  satisfaction ;  and  thus,  most 
unexpectedly,  ways  and  means  for  transport  are  once 
more  provided.  The  oxen  are  kept  some  ten  miles  dis- 
tant from  here,  beyond  the  "  fly "  belt  that  skirts  the 
west  bank  of  the  Zambesi,  and  they  can  only  come  in 
here  at  night,  when  the  tsetse  is  supposed  not  to  bite. 
They  are  sent  for  and  will  be  here  by  ten  o'clock,  when 
I  load  up  and  start  without  delay. 

My  goods  are  already  across  the  drift,  and  in  the 
evening*  I  say  good-by  to  Monsieur  and  Madame  Jalla, 
who  have  been  the  essence  of  kindness  to  me.  The 
time  spent  with  them  and  my  experience  at  Kazungula 
have  been  on  a  par  with  the  fellowship  and  hospitality 
I  enjoyed  at  the  other  stations  of  the  French  Zambesi 
mission,  which  is  saying  a  good  deal.  At  11  p.m.  the 
baggage  is  all  aboard  the  cart,  drawn  by  a  span  of  twelve 
oxen.  It  is  off  at  full  speed,  which  is  about  the  rate  of 
a  "  Trades  Procession  "  or  a  "  Lord-Mayor's  Show  " ;  but 
they  will  get  beyond  "  the  fly  "  before  daylight. 

I  spent  the  night  in  the  Englishmen's  camp,  and  next 
morning,  after  a  sharp  walk,  reached  Leshuma,  where 
the  oxen  were  outspanned  awaiting  my  arrival.  At 
this  place  Monsieur  and  Madame  Coillard  had  to  camp 
for  over  a  year,  waiting  for  the  decision  of  Lewanika 
as  to  whether  they  were  to  be  allowed  an  entrance  into 
the  Barotse  Valley  or  not.  At  length  their  request  was 
granted ;  but  it  must  have  been  a  weary  time  for  them, 
the  district  is  so  lonely,  wild,  and  dreary.  Nearby  is  a 
solitary  grave  of  a  Swede  named  Oswald  Bagger,  who 
died  here  of  fever  in  1878. 

After  having  lunch  we  trekked  until  9  p.m.,  when  we 
outspanned  for  the  night.    On  again  to  Pcxndamatenka, 


220 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


where  we  take  on  an  extra  span  of  oxen.  This  place 
is  of  some  interest,  especially  to  Eoman  Catholics,  from 
the  fact  that  about  eight  years  ago  the  Jesuits  sent  up 
a  band  of  "  Fathers  "  and  "  Brothers  "  to  organize  a  mis- 
sion station  here.  They  had  intended  settling  in  the 
Barotse  Valley,  but  entering  the  country  without  first 
obtaining  the  king's  permission  so  incensed  him  against 
them  that  he  ordered  them  back  forthwith.  Pandama- 
tenka  being  a  sort  of  neutral  ground  between  Khama, 
Lobengula,  and  Lewanika,  they  decided  to  build  under 
the  patronage  of  Gr.  Westbeacli,  a  trader,  whose  station 
it  was.  Their  dwelling-house  and  church  still  stand, 
the  latter  (see  foreground  of  illustration)  now  utilized 
as  a  stable.  The  doors  and  window-frames  that  remain 
bear  evidence  of  the  skilled  workmen  they  must  have 
had  with  them ;  but  their  mission  was  a  failure,  the 
party  being  too  large  and  their  equipment  altogether 
too  elaborate  and  extensive  compared  with  their  very 
limited  knowledge  of  the  country  and  people.  By  bit- 
ter experience  they  learned  that  in  such  work  "the 
race  is  not  to  the  swift,  nor  the  battle  to  the  strong." 
Soon  after  their  advent,  and  ere  they  had  well  begun 
their  mission,  one  of  the  Brothers  died,  a  Father  was 
drowned  on  his  way  to  the  valley,  the  others  got  dis- 
heartened, and  the  mission  was  broken  up.  Even 
those  who  escaped  from  Pandamatenka  fell  victims  to 
fever  elsewhere.  Westbeach,  too,  is  dead,  and  his  trad- 
ing-store stands  empty.  The  present  occupants  of  the 
place  are  two  half-breed  hunters  with  a  few  bushmen. 
Here  we  found  five  heaps  of  stones,  marking  the  last 
resting-places  of  Jolly,  Cowley,  Bairn,  Baldwin,  and 
Lowe — Europeans  who  succumbed  to  malarial  fever. 


A  ROUGH  TIME. 


221 


We  had  been  told  that  at  this  place  corn  and  vegeta- 
bles were  cultivated  in  abundance,  and  that  we  should 
be  able  to  put  in  a  supply  for  the  journey ;  but  we  were 
contented  with  a  limited  purchase,  as  they  charged  us 
at  the  rate  of  three  pounds  per  bag  for  corn  and  two 
•  shillings  each  for  very  poor  pumpkins. 

We  trekked  early  on  the  5th  of  March,  the  spare  oxen 
driven  behind  by  our  Kaffirs.  The  next  three  days' 
journey  was  through  rough  country — either  rocky  belts 
of  woodland,  with  stones  and  stumps  that  almost  shook 
the  cart  to  pieces,  or  over  miles  of  swamp  with  black 
mud  and  water  up  to  the  axle.  On  Tuesday  evening, 
feeling  very  "blue,"  and  conscious  of  an  approaching 
attack  of  fever,  I  was  sitting  in  the  cart  holding  my 
aching  head  between  my  hands,  when  the  "dessel- 
boom"  gave  way  with  a  crash,  and  we  were  thrown 
forward  on  the  road,  putting  a  period  to  our  journey 
for  that  night,  so  we  camped  where  we  were.  But  by 
the  time  I  could  get  out  my  blanket  and  lie  down  at 
the  foot  of  a  tree  the  fever  had  me  in  full  force ;  the 
live-long  night  my  head  felt  as  if  it  would  burst — skin 
hot  and  parched,  temperature  106^  F.  Several  times 
during  the  weary  hours  of  darkness  slight  showers 
of  rain  fell,  and  although  I  had  no  shelter  I  wished  it 
would  come  heavily  and  cool  me  a  bit.  Near  morning 
perspiration  broke  out  profusely  and  I  was  relieved.  I 
took  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  thought  I  was  better  and  got 
up,  anxious  to  see  to  the  repairing  of  the  cart.  The 
drivers  brought  in  a  small  tree  they  had  cut  down,  and 
were  just  commencing  to  hew  it  into  shape,  when  I  felt 
a  sudden  chill,  accompanied  by  faintness,  compelling 
me  to  lie  down  again.    Such  a  fit  of  ague  and  fever  fol- 


222 


REALITY  l/ERSUS  ROMANCE. 


lowed  as  I  have  seen  in  others  but  never  until  now  ex- 
perienced, vomiting  until  my  eyes  were  bloodshot,  shak- 
ing until  I  had  to  hold  by  the  root  of  a  bush  to  steady 
myself,  cold  and  bloodless,  although  now  the  sun  was 
high  and  the  thermometer  registered  100°  F.  in  the 
shade.  By  evening  the  new  dessel-boom  was  finished 
and  we  trekked  again.  I  was  just  able  to  crawl  into 
the  cart,  but  for  the  next  two  days  could  not  eat  a 
mouthful,  only  drink  water — and  such  water !  brackish 
and  muddy. 

To-day,  the  12th,  however,  I  am,  thank  God,  feeling 
very  much  better.  This  is  fortunate,  for  we  are  never 
sure  that  there  are  no  lions  lurking  in  the  neighbor- 
hood when  we  lie  down  for  the  night.  Here,  and  along 
our  route  for  the  next  eight  days,  they  abound.  Last 
night  they  roared  and  growled  within  fifty  paces  of 
our  camp,  trying  to  stampede  the  oxen.  There  was,  of 
course,  no  rest  for  either  the  drivers  or  myself,  as  we 
had  to  keep  guard,  rifle  in  hand,  expecting  an  attack 
every  minute.  We  met  the  annual  transport  wagons, 
three  in  number,  bound  for  the  Zambesi  with  supplies 
for  the  missionaries.  The  conductor  told  me  that  this 
morning,  the  lions,  in  spite  of  big  fires,  dogs,  and  guns, 
attacked  his  oxen,  and  lacerated  one  so  badly  that  it 
had  to  be  killed,  while  two  bore  ugly  claw  wounds. 
Four  dogs  went  after  them,  but  one,  the  biggest  and 
bravest,  never  returned,  so  we  shaU  have  to  keep  a 
sharp  lookout  now. 

I  am  making  no  attempt  at  writing  a  daily  journal 
during  this  trip.  One  day  is  so  like  another  that  there 
is  seldom  an  event  worthy  of  record.  The  program  of 
an  ordinary  day  is  very  much  thus :    At  the  first  red- 


PROGRAM  OF  A  DAY. 


223 


dening  of  the  sky,  about  an  hour  before  sunrise,  the  fire 
is  stirred  up  and  the  kettle  put  on;  meanwhile  mats 
and  blankets  are  stowed  away,  the  "voige"  (water- 
keg)  filled,  if  we  are  fortunate  enough  to  be  near  a 
"vley"  (pool),  cooking  utensils  collected  and  packed. 
The  oxen  are  being  inspanned,  and  by  this  time  coffee  is 
ready,  which  we  swallow  with  a  bit  of  bread  baked  in 
the  ashes  or  a  hollo  wed-out  ant-hill.  The  long  whips 
are  cracked,  the  word  trek  "  is  shouted,  and  the  oxen 
move  on ;  and  now  for  five  or  six  hours  we  lumber 
along,  through  the  deep  sand,  rough  rock,  or  swampy 
ground,  through  belts  of  mopani  forest,  and  on  through 
vast  stretches  of  thorny  bush  armed  with  spikes  like 
grappling  hooks.  By  10  a.m.  we  probably  reach  water, 
where  we  outspan  and  rest  during  the  heat  of  the  day, 
inspanning  at  three  or  four  in  the  afternoon  and  going 
on  till  nine,  when  we  bivouac  for  the  night.  The  oxen 
are  made  fast  by  reims  to  the  trek-chain ;  and  after  sup- 
per we  each  seek  the  lee  side  of  a  bush  or  a  clump  of 
grass,  spread  our  mat  under  the  starry  sky,  and  wrap 
up  for  a  few  hours'  repose. 

While  this  routine  may  be  taken  as  the  rule,  it  is  by 
no  means  without  many  exceptions.  At  times,  for  two 
whole  days  we  will  find  no  water,  either  for  ourselves 
or  the  cattle,  necessitating  long  treks.  When  about 
half-way  across  the  desert  the  oxen  were  inspanned 
for  twelve  hours,  pushing  on  to  a  spot  where  we  ex- 
pected to  find  a  vley,  but  which,  when  we  reached  it, 
was  almost  dry.  We  had  to  collect  a  httle  from  the 
holes  made  by  the  feet  of  game,  but  it  was  so  thick  and 
of  such  a  vile  odor  that  we  could  not  swallow  it.  One 
of  the  drivers  took  a  mouthful,  and  suffered  all  day  in 


224 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


consequence.  The  poor  beasts  sucked  the  mud,  refused 
to  graze,  loitering  around  the  wagon,  and  during  the 
night  Hcked  the  broad  iron  tires  of  the  wheels  to  cool 
their  tongues.  Played  out,  we  could  go  no  farther 
without  a  rest;  but  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning 
(now  the  third  day  of  our  thirst)  we  inspanned  again, 
and  dragged  wearily  on,  almost  at  the  fainting  point 
for  hours,  when,  just  as  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  shot 
across  the  arid  plain,  we  descried  in  the  distance  what 
appeared  to  be  a  small  lake,  glistening  hke  burnished 
silver.  The  oxen  seemed  to  scent  water  in  the  air,  and, 
mustering  their  waning  energies,  redoubled  their  speed, 
and  in  an  hour  we  reached  the  lake,  cattle  and  men 
plunging  into  it  with  a  mad  rush.  But  our  joy  was 
short  lived ;  the  poor  animals  moaned  their  disappoint- 
ment, the  drivers'  faces  were  pictures  of  despair.  How 
I  looked  I  don't  know,  but  how  I  felt  may  be  imagined. 
It  was  a  salt  "  pan  "  (lake),  and  the  water  a  bitter  brine. 
Slowly  and  sadly  we  turned  around,  utterly  disheart- 
ened, and  went  on  for  two  hours  more,  when  we  came 
upon  a  deep  well  containing  several  feet  of  muddy — 
but  oh,  so  precious — sweet  water.  How  fondly  we 
sipped  it !  And  with  buckets  we  drew  enough  for  the 
oxen,  having  to  use  the  whips  vigorously  to  keep  off 
the  herd  while  each  one  had  its  turn. 

We  rested  for  twenty-four  hours  so  as  to  give  them 
a  chance  to  pick  u;\  Two  oxen  suffering  from  lung 
sickness  had  been  left  on  the  road  to  follow  as  best 
they  could  with  the  spare  span.  One  must  have  lin- 
gered behind  and  fallen  a  prey  to  lions,  as  we  never  saw 
him  again ;  the  other  we  shot,  and  used  such  portions 


MASARIVA. 


225 


of  the  flesli  as  we  thought  safe.  We  were  not  over 
nice  about  it,  as  for  two  weeks  we  had  been  without 
fresh  meat,  having  seen  no  game  except  an  occasional 
guinea-fowl,  although  we  saw  a  great  many  fresh  spoor 
of  almost  every  kind  of  antelope,  elephant,  zebra,  gir- 
affe, hartebeest,  etc.,  but  mostly  crossing  our  track,  going 
north  and  south.  I  sighted  several  flocks  of  ostriches, 
and  succeeded  in  knocking  over  two  at  long  range. 
They  were  very  wild,  and  without  a  horse  it  is  difficult 
to  hunt  them.  In  each  case  they  got  up  and  disap- 
peared in  the  bush,  but  were  found  dead  next  day  by 
the  bushmen,  who  brought  me  several  handsome  feathers 
— the  only  trophies  I  possess  of  ostrich-hunting. 

Every  few  days  we  meet  with  small  bands  of  these 
bushmen  (Masarwa)  in  the  most  unlikely  and  unex- 
pected places.  They  are  wild  children  of  the  desert, 
homeless  wanderers,  and  pigmies  in  stature;  during 
the  rainy  season  of  a  dirty  yellow  color,  at  other  times 
hard  to  tell.  They  are  spindle-shanked,  and  possess 
abdomens  entirely  disproportioned  to  their  diminutive 
size.  These  queer  little  people  speak  a  language  so 
barbarous,  with  its  perpetual  click,  click,  click,  that  no 
white  man  has  been  able  to  acquire  it.  Many  of  them 
are  veritable  caricatures  of  the  creature  man.  An  arm- 
ful of  reeds  or  a  cave  provides  all  the  shelter  they  ever 
know ;  they  own  no  herds,  cultivate  no  fields,  but  sub- 
sist upon  the  game,  edible  roots  or  bulbs,  the  larvae  of 
white  ants,  grasshoppers,  and  worms  that  they  find  in 
their  familiar  domains.  But  this  creature,  insignificant 
though  he  looks,  is  more  than  a  match  for  the  most 
formidable  wild  animal  that  roams  the  forest  or  plain. 


226 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


In  the  chase  he  has  no  peer  in  any  tribe  in  Africa,  and 
knows  better  than  any  other  how  to  obtain  and  prepare 
most  virulent  and  promptly  fatal  poisons  with  which  to 
smear  the  sharp  points  of  his  tiny  arrows,  while  his 
small  size  and  cat-like  movements  in  the  grass  enable 
him  to  approach  to  within  a  short  distance  of  his  prey, 
unseen. 

I  had  an  opportunity  last  night  of  observing  the 
effect  of  their  poisoned  shafts,  and  also  their  mode  of 
hunting.  A  little  fellow  came  to  our  camp  to  beg  salt. 
While  trying  to  talk  with  him  through  one  of  the 
drivers,  he  suddenly  held  up  his  hand  and  motioned 
us  to  be  silent.  He  slung  the  quiver  with  his  arrows 
over  his  shoulder,  and,  grasping  his  tiny  bow,  glided 
swiftly  off  into  the  grass  in  a  stooping  posture.  Look- 
ing in  the  direction  on  which  he  seemed  bent,  we  saw 
at  a  long  distance  the  heads  and  necks  of  two  giraffes 
appearing  in  the  background  of  an  ant-hill.  In  a  very 
short  time  the  cunning  hunter  had  got  within  a  few 
yards  of  them,  still  unobserved:  fitting  an  arrow  to 
his  bow-string,  in  an  instant  he  had  aimed  at  and  hit 
the  larger  of  the  two.  The  animal  gave  a  frightened 
jump  and  leisurely  walked  away,  the  busliman  return- 
ing as  stealthily  as  he  went.  On  expressing  our  sur- 
prise that  he  had  not  followed  up  the  game,  he  in  the 
coolest  manner  possible  asked,  "  Why  should  I  drive 
the  meat  away?"  and  naively  remarked,  "It  will  not 
go  far."  Nor  was  his  confidence  in  the  weapon  mis- 
placed, as  we  proved  by  the  excellent  giraffe  steaks  we 
had  for  breakfast  next  morning.  The  little  hunter 
somewhat  reluctantly  parted  with  his  interesting  weap- 


See  f>age  23g 

KHAMA,   CHIHF  OF  BAMANGWATO 


POISONED  ARROIVS. 


227 


ons,  in  exchange  for  a  teacupful  of  salt  and  tliree  yards 
of  cloth. 

These  curiosities — the  primitive  bow  of  supple  wood, 
and  the  small  bark  quiver  of  cane-arrows,  with  their 
detachable  ivory,  poisoned  points — are  now  in  my  col- 
lection. 


CHAPTEE  XL 


FROM  PALACmVE  TO  FOET  VICTOEIA. 

Palaehwe. — A  terrible  epidemic. — Malaria. — Semi-civilization. — Physic- 
ally losing  ground. — Khama  and  his  country. — Total  prohibition. — The 
Mangwato  as  a  race. — Makalakas. — Darker  phases  of  African  life. — 
McKenzie  and  Hepburn. — The  Matebele. — On  the  trek  again. — My  West 
Indians  return. — A  monotonous  landscape. — Fort  Macloutsie. — Hyenas 
and  jackals. — Multum  inparvo. — Tuli  township. — ^'  Show  your  passport." 
— A  licensed  prospector. — Mealies  and  pumpkins. — Lobengula's  impis. — 
Matipi's  kraal. — WTiiskey  shops. — Syndicates  ''dead  broke." — White 
men's  graves. — ''Providential  Pass." — A  tragic  story. — Zimbabwe. — An 
ancient  stronghold. — Fort  Victoria. — A  hundi-ed  miles  of  sand. 

^^HE  journey  across  the  Kalahari  Desert  puts  the 
X  strength  and  endurance  of  both  man  and  beast  to 
the  severest  test ;  but  on  the  30th  of  March  we  reached 
Palachwe,  the  principal  town  of  the  Mangwato,  hav- 
ing been  just  four  weeks  on  the  road.  We  feel  very 
thankful,  too,  when  we  remember  the  many  broken 
wagons,  shattered  wheels  and  dessel-booms  we  passed 
on  the  way,  telling  of  long  delays  and  gi'eat  trouble  to 
others  who  had  attempted  the  journey  under  less  favor- 
able circumstances.  It  is  nothing  rare  for  travelers 
to  be  delayed  for  months  in  the  middle  of  the  desert 
by  flooded  swamps,  oxen  dying,  or  wagons  hopelessly 
broken  down,  and  obliged  to  send  back  for  assistance. 
Yet  we  are  here,  with  a  measure  of  fair  health  and 
strength  (with  the  exception  of  a  troublesome  cough 

228 


V 


( 

A  TERRIBLE  EPIDEMIC.  229 

which  annoys  me  mnch,  and  seems  come  to  stay),  in 
a  semi-civilized  country  under  the  good  chief  Khama. 
We  outspanned  in  front  of  Messrs.  Blackbeard  Bros.' 
trading  station,  where  we  are  invited  to  stay  for  a 
couple  of  weeks,  until  arrangements  are  made  for  our 
next  move,  which  must  be  northward. 

March  31st.  I  was  called  this  morning  to  see  Khama, 
his  wife,  and  child  (the  child  died  the  following  day), 
who  were  all  three  down  with  fever.  Not  only  they, 
but,  as  the  chief  tells  me,  fully  half  the  natives  are 
stricken  with  a  bad  type  of  malarial  fever,  which  has 
assumed  the  form  of  an  epidemic,  an  average  of  fifteen 
succumbing  to  the  disease  daily ;  while  I  am  informed 
that  since  the  year  began,  close  upon  three  thousand 
of  Khama's  subjects  have  been  cut  off.  He  seems 
greatly  distressed  about  it,  imploring  me  to  remain 
for  a  few  weeks  and  render  what  medical  aid  I  can  to 
the  sufferers,  for  this  tide  of  death  threatens  to  deci- 
mate the  tribe.  The  night  is  made  hideous  by  the 
gruesome  cries  of  the  hyenas  as  they  join  in  the  car- 
nage among  the  many  dead  bodies  but  partially  in- 
terred in  the  sand  of  the  plain. 

A  very  cursory  glance  at  the  situation  of  the  town  is 
sufficient  to  reveal  the  cause  of  its  being  so  unhealthy, 
although  it  is  the  new  town  of  the  Mangwato,  and 
only  laid  out  in  the  latter  part  of  1889  (Shoshong,  their 
old  settlement,  sixty  or  seventy  miles  south,  having  be- 
come untenable  from  lack  of  water).  Palachwe  occu- 
pies a  valley  at  the  base  and  west  of  the  Chupong  Hills, 
and  covers  an  area  of  some  sixteen  square  miles,  with 
a  population  of  say  fifteen  thousand  people,  composed 
of  a  number  of  villages  in  charge  of  sub-chiefs.  The 


230 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


huts  in  these  "staats"  (villages)  are  built  in  circles, 
with  a  small  lekhothla  in  the  center.  The  soil  is 
coarse,  deep  sand,  wheeled  vehicles  sinking  to  a  depth 
of  from  six  inches  to  a  foot  on  the  roads  in  the  town, 
and  for  miles  around.  Gardening  is  impossible  without 
constant  artificial  irrigation,  which  the  natives  do  not 
seem  to  understand  or  care  to  be  bothered  with,  so  that 
the  land  in  and  around  the  "  staats "  remains  as  it  has 
ever  been — unbroken  veldt.  Nor  does  the  chief  approve 
of  even  cutting  down  the  superfluous  bush  or  trees; 
consequently  the  fetid,  foul  air  from  the  excrement  and 
refuse  of  the  cluster  of  huts  hangs  around  the  dwell- 
ings, the  undergrowth  preventing  the  free  access  of 
fresh  air.  Sanitary  regulations  there  are  none,  and 
but  few  comfortable  dwellings  that  might  in  some  way 
be  made  to  conform  to  the  observance  of  laws  which 
we  consider  conducive  to  health.  No  white  man  can 
own  a  foot  of  land  in  Khama's  country,  nor  erect  a 
square  house,  except  by  his  special  permission,  and 
even  then  the  chief  claims  it  as  his  property ;  so  that 
temporary  residents  have  to  content  themselves,  as  a 
rule,  with  native  huts  of  the  very  poorest  construction. 
Rarely  can  they  be  truthfully  called  waterproof,  and 
are  not  to  be  compared  in  any  way  with  those  of  the 
Marotsi.  The  result  is,  at  the  close  of  the  rainy  season 
the  grass  thatch  has  become  soaking  wet  and  rots, 
when  it  is  little  better  than  a  reeking  dungheap,  under 
which  the  night  at  least  must  be  spent,  inhaling  the 
noxious  vapors,  that  go  far  to  produce  the  annual  at- 
tacks of  fever,  which  every  white  man  seems  to  expect 
as  a  matter  of  course.  Again,  in  almost  any  part  of 
this  extensive  flat  it  is  unnecessary  to  dig  more  than 


KHAMA'S  TOIVN. 


231 


three  or  four  feet  below  the  surface  to  find  water,  and 
in  many  places  it  lies  in  green  stagnant  pools,  giving 
off  an  offensive  effluvia,  particularly  at  night. 

The  officials  and  traders  are  obliged  to  send  some 
miles  to  obtain  water  for  domestic  purposes,  which  is 
brought  to  the  town  in  iron  tanks  mounted  on  wagons. 
No  one  need  be  surprised  that  fever  makes  such  ravages 
in  Khama's  town  of  the  Mangwato.  However,  here  it 
is,  and,  though  not  feeling  over  bright,  suffering  from  a 
sharp  attack  of  bronchitis — the  result  of  the  many  shel- 
terless nights  on  the  damp  ground  in  the  Kalahari — I 
must  do  what  I  can  for  the  many  patients,  who  already 
begin  to  come  or  send  for  help  on  hearing  that  a  doctor 
has  arrived  among  them. 

Palachwe  derives  its  name  from  the  kopjje  in  the  ^ 
vicinity.  "  Mangwato "  refers  to  the  tribe,  and  Ba- 
mangwato"  to  the  country  of  the  tribe,  wherever  it 
might  locate.  In  the  center  of  the  town  (Palachwe)  is 
situated  the  headquarters  of  the  Bechuana  Trading  As- 
sociation, under  the  management  of  Mr.  Gifford,  well 
and  favorably  known  in  La  Chapelle  in  the  Canadian 
Northwest.  Within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  Bechuana 
Trading  Association  premises  stands  the  hut  which  does 
duty  for  a  post-office,  and  across  the  road  a  telegraph 
station ;  the  line  being  now  open  right  through  to  Salis- 
bury places  Mashon  aland  in  telegraphic  communication 
with  the  outer  world. 

I  was  called  on  the  9th  to  see  a  young  man  who  had 
fallen  in  front  of  and  was  run  over  by  his  wagon,  sus- 
taining a  compound  fracture  of  the  femur,  I  fear  it 
will  be  a  bad  case,  as  he  cannot  be  persuaded  that  it 
will  be  necessary  for  him  to  remain  quiet  on  his  back 


232 


REALITY  l/ERSUS  ROMANCE. 


for  several  weeks.  I  will  attend  liim  closely,  and  hope 
that  union  may  take  place  before  I  leave.  Much  to  my 
annoyance,  on  visiting  him  the  following  day  I  found 
the  bandages  and  splints  had  all  been  undone  by  a  na- 
tive doctor,  who  declared  it  an  utter  impossibihty  that 
the  fracture  should  heal  without  the  orthodox  fetich 
performance  being  submitted  to — burning  of  certain 
herbs,  placing  the  limb  in  the  smoke,  etc.  I  fixed  him 
up  again,  and  explained,  in  as  strong  language  as  my 
interpreter  could  muster,  that  if  his  wizard  was  per- 
mitted to  interfere  again  I  should  see  him  no  more. 

April  26th.  It  is  now  nearly  a  month  since  I  reached 
Palachwe;  and  although  the  chief  and  the  white  resi- 
dents are  anxious  for  me  to  stay  a  little  longer,  I  find 
myself  physically  losing  ground  and  getting  weaker 
every  day.  For  scarcely  twenty-four  consecutive  hours 
during  my  sojourn  here  have  I  not  felt  the  effects  of 
this  trying  climate,  either  in  utter  prostration  from  the 
malarial  poison,  or  in  repeated  and  long-continued  spells 
of  high  temperature.  I  have  decided  to  get  out  of  this 
to-morrow  by  wagon,  and  steer  northward  through 
Mashonaland  via  Salisbury.  During  the  month,  be- 
sides Khama  (who  has  suffered  two  relapses,  but  is 
now  seemingly  all  right)  and  hundreds  of  his  people,  I 
have  had  seventeen  out  of  the  twenty  Europeans  in  the 
town  under  treatment,  also  several  Dutchmen  passing 
through.  Happily,  there  have  been  no  fatal  cases  among 
them  to  record ;  although  the  fever  assumed  a  very  ma- 
lignant type  in  five  instances,  all  are  now  convalescent. 
The  death-rate  among  the  natives,  who  have  had  no 
medical  aid  except  from  Kaffir  doctors,  has  continued 
very  high;  but  now  that  the  winter  approaches  the 


A  MAGNIFICENT  KAROSS. 


233 


probabilities  are  that  the  worst  of  the  epidemic  is  over 
for  the  present. 

Among  many  curios  I  brought  home  from  Africa, 
there  are  none  I  prize  so  highly  as  the  magnificent 
kaross,  composed  of  six  hundred  and  twenty-six  tiger- 
cat  tails,  which  was  presented  to  me  by  the  white  men 
of  Palachwe,  with  the  following  letter : 

Palachwe,  April  23,  1892. 

Dr.  Johnston,  Palachwe: 

Deae  Sir  :  We,  the  undersigned,  on  the  eve  of  yom'  departui'e 
from,  Palachwe,  beg  to  hand  you  this  httle  note,  and  the  accompany- 
ing kaross  as  a  shght  return  for  the  very  gi'eat  kindness  we  have  aU 
experienced  at  your  hands and  in  asking  you  to  accept  same  we 
would  mention  that  if  it  sometimes  reminds  you  of  the  friends  you 
have  made  and  helped  here,  it  will  indeed  have  answered  its  purpose. 
"Wishing  you  a  very  pleasant  trip  and  a  long  life,  we  are,  dear  sir, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Chas.  a.  Ensor,    Albert  E.  Giles, 
Percy  G.  Wyld,  P.  Howard  Willia^is, 
C.  H.  M.  Boon,     H.  Giles. 

Much  has  already  been  written  concerning  Khama, 
his  country,  and  people,  both  by  missionaries  and 
travelers.  The  former,  as  a  rule,  champion  the  cause 
of  the  native,  extolling  his  virtues  and  condoning  his 
faiUngs,  while  the  latter  are  only  too  often  under  the 
necessity  of  depending  on  prejudiced  parties  for  their 
information.  What  we  have  to  say  will  be  simply 
comparative,  and  confined,  as  much  as  possible,  to  per- 
sonal observation,  avoiding  sentiment — so  indisiDcnsable 
an  adjunct  to  writings  on  Africa  nowadays.  We  are 
told  the  public  likes  romance;  perhaps  it  does;  but 
there  are  some  who  prefer  plain  facts,  and  for  such  we 
write. 


234 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Khama  is  a  noble  example  of  what  Christianity  and 
civilization  can  do  for  the  African.  Both  friends  and 
foes  acknowledge  him  to  be  a  straightforward,  honest, 
and  upright  man.  Stern  and  vigorous  in  administra- 
tion, he  enforces  his  laws  with  undeviating  firmness 
and  impartiality,  particularly  in  the  suppression  of  the 
drink  traffic.  A  trader  discovered  selling  drink  to  a 
native  is  forthwith  expelled  from  the  country.  So  ex- 
treme are  his  personal  feelings  on  the  subject,  that  he 
decHned  to  drink  the  medicine  I  prescribed  for  him 
during  his  illness  because  it  was  in  a  bottle,  but  took 
it  readily  when  sent  in  a  jug.  A  native  who  attempts 
to  make  Kaffir  beer — so  largely  consumed  in  almost 
every  other  part  of  central  Africa — is  not  only  exiled 
with  his  family,  but  has  all  his  lands,  cattle,  and  house- 
hold goods  confiscated,  excepting  cooking-pots  and 
blankets;  and  with  no  respect  of  persons,  Khama's 
own  brother-in-law  having  had  to  share  this  fate  only 
a  few  months  ago.  In  a  word,  under  no  pretense  what- 
ever are  intoxicating  liquors  supposed  to  be  obtained 
in  Palachwe,  not  even  for  medicinal  purposes. 

Seeing  he  so  jealously  guards  his  people  against  the 
baneful  effects  of  strong  drink,  one  would  naturally 
conclude  that  Khama  is  equally  ambitious  for  their  ad- 
vancement and  elevation  socially,  by  inculcating  those 
principles  that  should  regulate  Christian  homes  and 
families,  and  without  which  no  community  can  be  other 
than  debased  and  immoral.  But  such  is  not  the  case. 
Any  effort  to  improve  their  dwelliDgs  the  better  to  ob- 
serve ordinary  social  laws,  as  in  reference  to  the  separa- 
tion of  the  sexes,  etc.,  is  speedily  vetoed.  He  lives  in 
one  round  Kaffir  hut  himself,  and  his  people  must 


THE  MANGIVATO  AS  A  TRIBE. 


235 


aspire  no  higher ;  hence  we  found  whole  families  with 
grown-up  sons  and  daughters  herded  together  promis- 
cuously in  their  small  round  grass  and  mud  hovels.  In 
no  instance  have  we  seen  the  semblance  of  a  partition, 
not  even  a  bit  of  calico  hung  up  to  divide  the  sleeping- 
places,  while  immorality  is  more  brazen-faced  than 
among  the  most  uncivilized  we  have  met  hitherto. 
The  numerous  cases  of  syphilis  and  venereal  com- 
plaints that  have  come  under  my  notice  here  for  the 
first  time  since  leaving  the  West  Coast  prove  all  too 
conclusively  that  something  more  is  wanted  besides  the 
exclusion  of  alcoholic  liquors  before  the  majority  of 
Khama's  people  can  be  truthfully  numbered  among  the 
trophies  won  to  Christianity  in  Africa. 

The  Mangwato  as  a  tribe  are  of  small  stature,  and 
coarse-featured.  The  tribal  mark  is  formed  by  making 
four  perpendicular  incisions  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
long  in  front  of  the  ears  over  the  zygomatic  arch.  They 
make  no  attempt  at  dressing  the  hair ;  the  men  cut  it 
short,  and  the  women  have  their  heads  shaved  with  the 
regularity  of  a  Chinaman.  Female  decorations  consist 
of  an  assortment  of  iron  and  brass  armlets  and  anklets, 
and  in  addition  tiers  of  rings  composed  of  small  blue 
beads  reaching  almost  to  the  knees.  The  headmen 
wear  European  clothing,  and  the  aspiration  of  all  the 
Mangwato  proper  is  to  dress  like  white  men. 

They  are  averse  to  manual  labor,  work  of  any  kind 
being  considered  undignified.  Their  chief  occupation 
is  the  making  of  karosses.  But  this  handicraft  has 
seen  its  best  days,  as  since  Khama  came  under  British 
protectorate  the  sale  of  gunpowder,  cartridges,  or  fire- 
arms has  been  so  restricted  that  there  is  very  little 


236 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


hunting  of  wild  animals  now.  As  usual  among  such 
people,  the  bulk  of  the  hard  work  falls  upon  the  women. 
They  till  the  ground,  stamp  the  mealies,  and  act 
as  maids-of-all-work  to  their  husbands  and  brothers. 
What  we  have  written  concerning  slavery  in  the  Ba- 
rotse  applies  also  to  Bamangwato,  although  perhaps  in 
a  milder  form.  Yet  over  fifty  per  cent,  of  Khama's 
people  are  slaves  (Makalakas),  subject  to  his  orders, 
his  sub-chiefs,  or  such  of  the  Mangwato  as  may  have 
permission  to  appropriate  their  labor.  These  Makala- 
kas are  the  representatives  of  many  tribes  conquered 
and  captured  in  by-gone  days,  when  the  Mangwato  was 
a  strong  and  warlike  nation.  Still,  many  friends  of 
freedom  would  be  glad  to  see  Khama  add  to  his  many 
virtues  and  humane  laws  that  of  equal  rights  to  all  his 
subjects,  and  place  those  victims  of  "the  accidents  of 
war"  on  a  footing  with  the  Mangwato,  and  not  the 
abject  slaves  they  are  at  present. 

But  why,  it  may  be  suggested,  refer  to  these  darker 
phases  of  African  life !  Well,  for  one  reason,  because 
there  are  many  who  desire  to  know  both  sides.  It 
would  certainly  be  more  agreeable,  and  perhaps  more 
popular,  to  write  only  that  which  is  pleasing ;  but  for 
the  sake  of  those  especially  who  may  be  anticipating 
coming  to  this  country,  I  am  endeavoring  in  calm  de- 
liberation to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  regions  and 
people  along  my  route,  judging  impartially  and  with- 
out prejudice,  seeking  to  record  only  that  which  I  be- 
lieve to  be  indisputably  true.  Untold  harm  has  actu- 
ally been  done  by  the  publication  of  one-sided  reports, 
purporting  to  be  faithful  descriptions  of  certain  por- 


Mckenzie  and  hepburn. 


237 


tions  of  the  Dark  Continent,  but  written  (when  the 
truth  is  known)  by  men  who  are  simply  the  tools  of 
parties  having  selfish  motives  for  booming  this  or  that 
territory  where  their  interests  lie,  and  by  writers  who 
cater  to  that  class  of  readers  to  whom  books  of  travel 
are  palatable  only  as  they  smack  of  hair-breadth  es- 
capes, thrilling  adventures,  etc. 

In  many  instances  young  men  occupying  good  situ- 
ations at  home  have  been  induced  to  resign  their  posi- 
tions and  come  out  here  with  the  hope  of  bettering 
themselves,  only  to  find  that  they  have  been  grossly  de- 
ceived ;  and  if  they  do  not  succumb  to  fever,  dysentery, 
or  drink,  they  embrace  the  first  opportunity  presenting 
itself  of  returning  home,  with  a  very  much  increased 
appreciation  of  the  mother  country.  Even  missionary 
reports  often  fail  to  tell  the  truth  concerning  the  field 
in  which  they  seek  to  create  an  interest,  fearing  that  a 
full  account  might  discourage  contributors.  The  evil 
effect  of  this  policy  is  not  far  to  seek :  half  of  the  mis- 
sionaries we  have  met  during  our  journey  state  in  so 
many  words  that  their  coming  to  Africa  has  been  fraught 
with  sore  disappointment,  both  as  regards  the  country 
and  the  work. 

But  to  return  to  the  Mangwato.  While  what  we 
have  written  in  reference  to  them  applies  to  the  tribe 
as  a  whole,  there  are  many  happy  exceptions.  The 
labors  of  McKenzie  and  Hej)burn  during  these  many 
years  have  not  been  in  vain,  for  besides  the  chief  there 
are  a  large  number  of  natives  whose  consistent  and 
exemplary  lives  prove  that  their  profession  of  Christi- 
anity is  something  more  than  the  mere  observance  of 


238 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


outward  formalities ;  and  there  can  be  no  question  that 
great  and  ksting  good  has  resulted  from  the  long  and 
earnest  toil  of  the  missionaries. 

It  was  with  deep  regret  that  we  learned,  on  arriving 
at  Palacliwe,  that  on  account  of  a  dispute  between 
Khama  and  Mr.  Hepburn  the  latter  had  retired  from 
the  field  and  returned  to  England.  This  unfortunate 
circumstance  has  been  a  great  blow  to  the  mission. 
The  splendid  brick  church  in  course  of  erection  and 
near  completion  is  now  at  a  standstill,  and  I  fear  will 
remain  so  until  the  London  Missionary  Society  8an  send 
out  another  man. 

The  contrast  between  the  Mangwato  and  the  Matebele 
in  the  adjoining  country  on  the  north  is  very  marked, 
illustrating  the  power  and  influence  of  the  chiefs  over 
the  people.  The  Matebele  are  Zulus  who,  owing  to 
inter- tribal  wars,  were  obliged  to  leave  the  south  and 
trek  northward.  They  are  ruled  by  the  savage  chief 
Lobengula,  who,  while  he  in  no  way  molests  or  opposes 
the  four  missionaries  who  live  in  his  country  and  carry 
on  a  work  that  has  existed  for  over  thirty  years  (being 
originally  established  by  Dr.  Moffatt),  like  Lewanika, 
assumes  an  attitude  toward  them  quite  as  antagonistic 
to  success  as  if  he  were  openly  hostile.  Shaking  his 
clinched  fist  at  his  people,  he  tells  them,  "You  may 

become  Christians  if  you  like,  but  "  and  there  he 

stops,  for  his  people  know  him  well  enough  to  under- 
stand what  the  menace  implies.  Hence  the  results,  thus 
far,  of  these  long  years  of  self-sacrificing  labor  are  al- 
most nil.  This  I  learned  from  Rev.  Mr.  Elliott,  one  of 
their  oldest  and  most  experienced  missionaries,  whom  I 
had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  here  with  his  sick  wife,  on 


FRATER  AND  JONATHAN. 


239 


their  way  to  Cape  Town.  He  also  informed  me  that  not 
half  a  dozen  natives  can  be  found  in  the  whole  country 
who  would  boldly  assert  their  allegiance  to  Christian- 
ity; one  or  two  dared  to  do  so,  and  were  promptly 
knocked  on  the  head,  by  order  of  the  chief. 

But  our  baggage  is  on  board  the  wagon,  our  eighteen 
oxen  are  ready  to  be  inspanned,  and  we  trek  to-night 
north  toward  the  Zambesi.  I  have  thought  it  best  to 
send  my  two  Jamaicans,  Frater  and  Jonathan,  on  to 
Cape  Town,  Mr.  Elliott  kindly  promising  to  take  charge 
of  them  en  route  homeward.  I  am  sorry  to  part  with 
them,  as  I  am  still  a  thousand  miles  from  the  point  in 
Africa  I  wash  to  reach.  They  have  been  of  great  ser- 
vice to  me,  and  the  idea  of  employing  Christian  natives 
of  the  West  Indies  as  assistants  to  pioneers  in  Central 
Africa  1  have  proved  by  this  journey  to  be  quite  prac- 
ticable. But  as  means  of  transpoi'ting  trade  goods  and 
luggage  seem  to  get  more  expensive  and  difficult  to 
procure  the  farther  east  we  travel,  I  do  not  feel  justi- 
fied in  taking  them  beyond  Bechuan aland.  But  why 
not  leave  them  with  the  missionaries,  as  proposed !  At 
Bamangwato  there  is  no  missionary,  as  I  have  already 
stated,  and  in  any  case  I  do  not  see  that  the  fit  time  has 
come  yet.  Even  those  left  at  Bihe  I  would  recommend 
to  return  as  soon  as  building  operations  are  completed 
on  the  Cisamba  station,  as  it  is  only  in  the  opening  up 
of  new  spheres  that  their  services  can  be  profitably 
utilized.  At  present  little  or  no  effort  is  being  put 
forth  to  reach  the  numerous  tribes  occupying  the  vast 
regions  five  hundred  miles  north  and  five  hundred  miles 
south  of  the  road  we  have  traveled  from  Bihe,  save  that 
noble  little  band  composing  the  French  mission  on  the 


240 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Zambesi.  They  are  not  constituted  to  act  as  organizers 
of  work,  and  until  white  men  are  forthcoming  to  lead 
the  van,  rather  than  put  friends  at  home  to  the  expense 
of  supporting  them,  without  the  prospect  of  accomplish- 
ing anything,  we  deem  it  expedient  that  they  remain  in 
their  own  country,  for  the  present. 

Mr.  EUard,  a  young  Englishman  in  the  employ  of 
Messrs.  Blackbeard  Bros.,  Ibeing  threatened  with  pul- 
monary trouble,  has  volunteered  to  accompany  me  part 
of  the  way  at  least,  in  the  expectation  that  the  higher 
plateau  may  benefit  him.  So  I  have  laid  in  a  supply 
of  provisions  for  the  road,  sufficient,  I  hope,  for  two  of 
us,  until  we  reach  Salisbury.  The  prohibitive  prices 
charged  here  for  food-stuffs  forbid  extravagance;  but 
"necessity  knows  no  law,"  and  past  experience  has 
taught  me  not  to  depend  on  what  may  be  obtained  from 
the  natives  on  the  way.  The  usual  monotony  attends 
traveling  through  this  part  of  the  country.  There  is 
but  little  variety  in  the  scenery ;  an  odd  kopjie  (hill), 
scrubby  thorn-bush,  or  small  mopani  tree,  with  a  great 
expanse  of  dry,  wiry,  sapless,  straggling  grass,  consti- 
tutes the  landscape.  The  road,  however,  is  fairly  good, 
and  we  lumber  along,  the  drivers  bawling  out  the  names 
of  the  oxen  with  threats  and  exhortations,  and  cracking 
their  long  whips.  We  cover  about  fifteen  miles  a  night, 
one  trek  from  sunset  until  9  or  10  p.m.,  and  another 
from  1  A.M.  until  daylight,  when  the  oxen  are  set  free  to 
graze  for  the  day.  This  seems  a  slow  mode  of  travel- 
ing, and  so  it  is ;  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  we 
have  over  five  hundred  miles  of  a  rough  road  before 
us,  and  a  heavily  laden  wagon  to  be  drawn  by  the 
same  oxen  the  whole  way.    On  the  morning  of  the  2d 


MACLOUTSIE. 


241 


a  driver  went  out  and  shot  a  splendid  eland  antelope, 
the  flesh  of  which  we  found  delicious,  and  made  a  good 
addition  to  our  larder,  as  with  care  a  hindquarter  keeps 
for  a  week. 

We  reached  Macloutsie  on  the  3d,  where  we  find  a 
fort,  and  headquarters  camp  of  the  Bechuanaland  Bor- 
der Police.  They  are  here  to  enforce  British  authority 
and  protect  its  interests  in  Bechuanaland,  although 
what  these  interests  are  seems  at  present  problematical. 
The  troops,  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  are  re- 
cruited from  Cape  Colony  and  the  mother  country,  and 
commanded  by  officers  from  British  regiments.  Ac- 
cording to  Sir  Sydney  Sheppard,  "the  expense  of  the 
force  is  about  £90,000,  and  the  whole  expenditure  on 
the  Protectorate  is  just  over  £100,000 ;  the  revenue  at 
present  is  very  small."  (See  The  Cajoe  Argus,  weekly 
edition,  July  28,  1892.) 

The  elevation  of  the  district  is  much  higher  than 
Palachwe,  and  healthier,  there  being  Imt  three  or  four 
patients  in  the  well-appointed  hospital  at  the  time  of 
our  visit. 

Two  days  beyond  Macloutsie  the  drivers  went  hunt- 
ing again,  and  shot  a  wart-hog — a  horrible-looking  ani- 
mal, with  tusks  six  inches  long,  and  a  cartilaginous 
protuberance  two  and  a  half  inches  in  length.  A  little 
behind  and  three  inches  above  each  eye  the  flesh  is  too 
rank  to  eat.  Along  this  part  of  the  road  wolves  and 
jackals  come  howling  around  the  camp  at  night;  but 
the  fires  keep  them  at  bay.  The  track  is  rough  in  the 
extreme,  not  only  from  the  numerous  stones  and  holes 
in  the  way,  but,  what  is  even  worse,  stumps  of  trees 
varying  in  height  from  a  few  inches  to  a  foot.  The 


242 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


broad  wheels  persist  in  mounting  them,  to  come  down 
with  a  dull,  sickening  thud  that  threatens  not  only 
concussion  of  the  brain,  but  of  every  internal  organ 
of  the  weary  traveler,  who  tries  to  snatch  a  couple  of 
hours'  sleep  on  the  top  of  the  cargo,  compelling  him  at 
last  to  sit  up  and  improvise  a  spring  seat  of  his  rolled- 
up  blankets,  so  as  to  lessen  the  risk  of  serious  injury 
from  contre  coup. 

On  the  8th  we  outspanned  within  three  miles  of  Tuli, 
and  walked  on  in  the  morning  to  see  this  "  mushroom  " 
staat  that  has  sprung  up  since  Rhodes  &j  Co.  began  to 
boom  Mashonaland  as  England's  Eldorado.  A  small 
hut  at  the  outskirts  surprised  us  not  a  little;  for  the 
proprietor,  besides  announcing,  on  a  board  of  many 
colors  fixed  to  a  pole  in  front  of  his  establishment, 
that  he  was  a  hairdresser  and  barber,  also  intimated 
that  in  his  twelve-feet-square  domicile  he  was  prepared 
to  accommodate,  for  a  consideration,  hungry  and  som- 
nolent wayfarers  with  refreshment  and  beds.  I  entered 
to  have  a  look  at  his  miiltim  in  parvo  and  get  a  "  crop." 
I  found  the  artist — an  ex-policeman — busy  with  a  very 
refractory  subject,  a  prospector,  maudlin  drunk.  Talk 
he  would,  while  being  shaved,  in  spite  of  the  barber's 
expostulations.  As  a  second  party  in  a  like  condition 
sat  awaiting  his  turn,  we  proposed  taking  a  stroll.  In- 
toxicated white  men  seemed  the  order  of  the  day ;  we 
met  them  at  every  turn,  although  they  have  to  pay 
twenty-five  shillings  per  bottle  for  brandy  and  five  shil- 
lings per  bottle  for  ale. 

Tuli  is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river  Shar- 
shi,  and  boasts  of  a  small  hotel  and  half  a  dozen  trading- 
stores,  built  mostly  of  wood  and  corrugated  iron.  There 


FORT  TULI. 


243 


are,  besides,  two  stores  belongiug  to  the  British  South 
African  Company  filled  with  great  quantities  of  wheat 
meal,  while  in  the  open  air  are  stacked  some  seven 
hundred  bags  of  meahes ;  but  evidently  the  administra- 
tion of  the  commissariat  department  of  the  company  is 
rather  defective,  as  there  is  not  a  single  bag  of  either 
commodity  fit  for  food.  This  shameful  waste  of  grain 
has  not  been  confined  to  Tuli,  however ;  the  same  com- 
pany hoarded  a  thousand  bags  of  mealies  during  1890 
at  Alibi,  until  they  had  to  be  thrown  away  on  the 
veldt  j  and  nearly  the  same  quantity  was  disposed  of 
in  a  similar  manner  at  Macloutsie.  The  over-sanguine 
purchasers  probably  intended  to  lay  in  a  supply  for  the 
hundreds  of  horses,  which,  though  brought  up  from 
the  Colony,  refused  to  live  in  such  a  climate. 

In  the  center  of  the  town,  on  a  small  kopjie,  a  forti- 
fication has  been  constructed,  and  is  garrisoned  by  some 
five  policemen,  every  white  man  in  the  district  being 
under  pledge  to  aid  in  holding  the  fort  in  event  of  an 
attack  from  the  Matebele,  their  most  formidable  enemy. 
Having  obtained  permission  of  the  caj^taiu,  I  23roceeded 
to  do  some  photography  from  the  fort,  but  was  warned 
not  to  climb  over  the  breastwork,  as  the  sandbags  would 
not  permit  of  being  walked  upon ! 

Whether  it  was  the  intense  heat  or  having  had  noth- 
ing to  eat  from  early  morning,  I  know  not ;  but  while 
in  the  act  of  pulling  the  slide  a  feeling  of  faintness  and 
giddiness  came  over  me,  so  oppressive  and  painful  that 
the  operation  became  anything  but  a  pastime.  I  got 
down  as  soon  as  I  could  and  sought  a  friendly  shelter, 
and  lay  down  for  a  couple  of  hours,  helpless  as  if  par- 
alyzed.   But  a  cup  of  tea  revived  me  a  bit;  and  the 


244  REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 

wagons  having  come  up  early  in  the  afternoon,  so  as 
to  get  across  the  five  hundred  yards  of  sandy  river-bed 
of  the  Sharshi  during  daylight,  I  walked  on  after  them. 

I  may  remark  that  not  more  than  ten  per  cent,  of 
South  African  rivers  can  be  called  permanent.  They 
flow  only  during  the  three  or  four  months  of  the  wet 
season.  For  another  month  water  will  be  found  in 
isolated  pools,  but  for  the  balance  of  the  year  they  will 
be  perfectly  dry.  Since  leaving  the  Zambesi  we  have 
crossed  scores  of  water-courses,  but  in  not  more  than 
two  did  we  find  a  running  stream. 

When  about  to  get  on  the  wagon  for  the  purpose  of 
reaching  the  other  side,  a  jDoliceman  rode  up  demand- 
ing to  see  our  passport  or  license  to  enter  Mashonaland. 
We  made  some  observations  in  reference  to  our  pos- 
sessing a  Portuguese  passport  through  their  country  as 
a  foreigner,  but  thought  it  rather  extraordinary  that  a 
British  subject  should  require  a  permit  to  pass  through 
(so-called)  British  territory.  "  Can't  help  that,  sir ;  my 
orders  are  to  stop  every  white  man  from  passing  through 
Tuli  unless  he  can  show  a  prospector's  license."  Vain 
were  our  protests  that  we  were  not  prospectors  " ;  nor 
would  we  know  the  difference  between  reef  quartz  and 
alluvial  gold,  if  we  saw  it.  A  policeman  on  duty  is  not 
'Open  to  reason,  and,  though  feeling  very  ill,  we  had  no 
alternative  but  to  march  back  to  a  small  mud  hut, 
where  a  minion  of  the  law  duly  registered  us  as  pro- 
spectors, and  on  payment  of  a  small  fee  handed  us 
strips  of  paper  to  that  effect.  It  was  now  getting  late, 
and  we  hurried  back  to  join  our  wagon.  To  cross  the 
river-bed  was  no  light  work,  the  wheels  sinking  to  the 
hubs  in  the  wet  sand  and  requiring  double  spans  of 


MEALIES  AND  PUMPKINS. 


245 


oxen  to  pull  it  through ;  but  it  was  accomplished  with- 
out any  mishap,  and,  having  trekked  seven  miles  more, 
we  tied  up.  Being  unable  to  eat  anything,  Ellard  went 
out  to  a  Boer  camp  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  some 
milk.  They  allowed  him  to  have  a  quart,  and  let  him 
down  easy  by  charging  only  two  shillings  and  sixpence. 

We  are  now  out  of  Khama's  country,  Sharshi  being 
the  northern  boundary.  From  the  time  we  entered  it 
at  Leshuma,  ten  miles  south  of  the  Zambesi,  we  have 
traversed  in  a  sort  of  semicircle  over  six  hundred  miles 
of  his  territory,  and  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
it  may  suit  Kaf&rs  well  enough,  whose  daily  wants  are 
limited  to  a  few  mealies  or  pumpkins  (I  have  seen  no 
other  products  of  the  soil  in  any  quantity  during  the 
ten  weeks  of  my  wanderings  in  British  Bechuaualand), 
but  it  can  never  be  of  any  use  to  Europeans  for  pur- 
poses of  colonization.  There  are  prairie  farms  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada  any  single  one  of  which 
yields  annually  more  agricultural  produce  than  does 
the  whole  of  Khama's  kingdom.  ''Irrigate,  irrigate," 
says  the  farmer.  With  what,  pray !  For  eight  months 
in  the  year  there  is  scarcely  a  running  stream  in  the 
country ;  during  that  time  the  only  water  to  be  found 
is  in  the  pits  and  stagnant  pools  called  "  vleys,"  scat- 
tered few  and  far  between  over  the  veldt,  becoming 
reduced  in  number  as  the  season  advances. 

We  crossed  the  Umpagi  on  the  10th,  and  are  now  in 
the  Banyai  country.  The  roads  are  still  very  rough, 
being  cut  up  every  few  yards  by  spruits  and  sluits  from  ' 
a  few  feet  to  several  yards  in  depth,  requiring  the  fre- 
quent application  of  the  brakes  to  prevent  the  wagon 
from  crushing  the  oxen  as  it  plunges  into  the  ravine. 


246 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


The  Banyai  natives  are  refugees  from  various  tribes, 
and  have  their  kraals  among  the  fastnesses  of  the  hills, 
where  they  have  been  driven  thrpugh  fear  of  the  Mate- 
bele.  Like  the  Mashonas,  they  are  very  poor,  having 
been  similarly  plundered  of  almost  everything  they 
possessed  by  the  raiding  warriors  of  Lobengula,  who 
not  only  seize  their  cattle,  but  take  captive  and  enslave 
their  women  and  chikben,  assegaing  their  men.  The 
dress  of  the  women  consists  chiefly  of  large  coils  of 
beads  round  the  waist  and  ankles.  They  shave  their 
heads  with  the  exception  of  a  round  spot  on  the  crown 
about  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  over  all,  of  course, 
grease.  The  men,  as  usual,  are  more  simple  in  their 
attire,  contented  with  the  regulation  small  tab  of  wild- 
cat skin  fore  and  aft. 

Four  days  more  saw  us  outspanned  by  the  Booby 
Eiver,  surrounded  by  numerous  grand  kopjies  rising 
abruptly  from  the  plain,  some  of  them  to  the  height 
of  eight  hundred  to  a  thousand  feet,  bare  and  bald, 
seemingly  one  solid  block  of  granite,  closely  resem- 
bling those  we  first  saw  in  the  Cisange  country  west 
of  Bihe.  While  out  hunting,  the  drivers  encountered 
a  lion,  but  there  is  no  exciting  story  to  tell  of  the  ad- 
venture, for  with  commendable  discretion  they  sought 
refuge  in  the  camp.  Two  days  ago  four  lions  attacked 
the  oxen  of  a  transport  rider,  killing  several ;  but  thus 
far  we  have  escaped  them. 

Next  day  we  halted  at  Matipi's  kraal,  and  bartered 
for  some  vegetables  with  salt,  gun-caps,  and  matches. 
I  climbed  an  adjoining  kopjie  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
photos,  and  found  quite  a  village  near  the  top,  com- 
posed of  poor  little  huts  built  m  the  nooks  and  crevices 


IVHISKEY  SHOPS. 


24t7 


of  the  rocks ;  having  no  soil  in  which  to  fix  the  upright 
sticks,  the  foundations  were  strengthened  by  layers  of 
mud. 

The  following  day  we  crossed  the  Grondogne.  There 
is  a  small  whiskey  shop  here,  run  by  white  men,  nom- 
inally for  the  convenience  of  travelers,  and  one  of  many 
that  have  been  opened  between  Tuli,  Salisbury,  and 
Umtali  since  the  British  took  possession,  and  generally 
situated  as  near  as  possible  to  the  regular  outspanning 
places.  The  Salisbury  correspondent  of  The  Cape  Argus 
Weejchj,  April  6,  1892,  writes : 

"  The  following  list  will  be  interesting  to  many,  and 
also  useful  to  those  intending  to  trek  Mashonaland- 
ward.  Wayside  places  on  main  road,  Tuli — Salisbury. 
From  Tuli : 

M.  Pagre's,  15  miles.    Campbell  and  Drummond. 
Umzingwan,  35  miles.    Hinds  and  Ferman. 
M.  Gobu's,  80  miles.  Withers. 
M.  Tibi's,  92  miles.  Drummond. 

 ,  106  miles.    Dillon  and  Perkins. 

Nuenetsi  Eiver,  122  miles.  Sanderson. 

Lundi  Eiver,  155  miles.  Grrant. 

Toqwi  River,  182  miles.    Saunders  and  Prinslotz. 

Fern  Spruit,  194  miles.  Bowden. 

Fort  Victoria,  204  miles.  Various  hotels  and  stores. 

M.  Kari's,  234  miles. 

Imytsitsi.    Werrit  and  Young. 

Fort  Charter.  Dunn. 

Umfuli. 

Hanyani. 

Six-mile  Spruit.   Mashonaland  Auctioneering  Co. 
Salisbury. 


248 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


"  The  places  left  blank  have  been  filled,  but  so  far  I 
have  not  received  the  names.  From  Salisbury  to  Um- 
tali  the  following  is  the  list : 

16  miles  from  Salisbury.    Duncan'  and  Kerr. 

32  miles  from  Salisbury.    Graham  and  White. 

Marandella's,  Bottomley.    Head  and  Moore. 

M.  Chiki's,  78  miles.  Lewis. 

Laurencedale. 

Kesapi  Drift,  108  miles.    Reid  Bros. 

 ,  130  miles.    Bates  and  Watson. 

Odsi,  150  miles.  Holberg." 
Albeit  they  are  of  but  little  benefit  to  a  hungry  man, 
as  we  have  inquired  in  vain  for  bread  at  every  one 
we  passed.  This,  with  the  fact  that  out  of  a  hundred 
wagons  now  on  the  road  to  Salisbury  seventy  carry  an 
average  of  two  thousand  bottles  of  intoxicating  liquor 
each,  is  not  much  to  the  credit  of  Europeans,  nor  to  the 
company  under  whose  patronage  it  is  admitted.  It 
is  the  unanimous  opinion  of  those  we  have  met  that 
whiskey  dealers  will  get  their  fingers  burned  this  time, 
for  there  is  neither  money  to  buy  nor  people  to  drink  a 
tithe  of  the  stuff  that  is  pouring  into  Salisbury.  This 
rush  is  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  liquor  and  provisions 
last  year.  The  rivers  being  full,  wagons  were  detained 
on  the  road  until  whiskey  brought  £30  per  case; 
champagne,  £5  per  bottle ;  Boer  meal,  £12  10s.  per  bag ; 
and  one-pound  tins  of  provisions,  10s.  each.  The  times 
have  changed  materially  since  then.  Many  of  the  min- 
ing claims  have  not  turned  out  to  be  such  bonanzas  as 
was  expected  f  four  syndicates  have  smashed  up,  dis- 
missed their  men,  and  abandoned  in  disgust  the  fields 
that  refuse  to  yield  sufficient  of  the  precious  metal  to 


IVHITE  MEN'S  GRAVES. 


249 


pay  working  expenses;  while  almost  every  day  we 
meet  bands  of  disappointed  prospectors  returning  down 
country,  poorer  men  than  when  they  passed  up,  full 
of  hope,  a  year  or  so  ago.  One  graphically  described 
things  in  general  by  remarking,  '^It  ain't  no  country 
for  the  white  man  anyhow,  even  if  gold  is  there, 
where  to  live  he  has  to  be  a-eatin'  of  quinine  all  day 
long." 

We  could  not  but  sympathize  with  one  young  fellow, 
whose  health  seemed  completely  shattered,  and  who  but 
eighteen  months  before  had  gone  up  in  company  with 
two  brothers,  but  now  returns  alone,  both  the  brothers 
having  died  of  fever  after  sinking  their  all,  some  fif- 
teen hundred  pounds,  in  fruitless  search  for  "the 
wealth  of  Mashonaland." 

We  crossed  the  Lundi  River  on  the  morning  of 
the  19th— a  tough  bit  of  work,  taking  two  spans  of 
thirty-six  oxen,  pulling  their  hardest,  to  get  the  wagon 
through.  The  river,  though  low,  had  a  good  stream 
running.  During  the  rainy  season  the  Lundi  rises  very 
high,  and,  owing  to  the  rapidity  of  the  current,  Jbecomes 
impassable  for  transport  wagons,  many  being  delayed 
on  the  bank  for  months  at  a  time.  Then  fever,  aided 
by  the  canteen  close  by,  gets  in  its  deadly  work.  There 
were  no  fewer  than  fifty-seven  white  men's  graves, 
mostly  on  the  south  side,  made  during  the  last  wet 
season. 

We  are  now  in  Mashonaland.  The  landscape  grows 
more  hilly  and  rugged  as  we  move  northward,  while 
the  same  smooth-faced,  rocky  kopjies  predominate  here 
as  we  noticed  farther  south.  The  vegetation  on  the 
plains  is  richer,  the  trees  larger,  and  the  scenery  in 


250 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


general  much  more  interesting ;  but  tliere  are  no  signs 
of  cultivation  anywhere,  and  the  few  natives  who  come 
out  to  trade  seem  to  set  great  store  by  their  meager 
stock  of  garden  products.  One  brings  half  a  pound  of 
mealies  in  a  basket  little  larger  than  a  coffee-cup,  while 
another  swings  in  his  hand  one  small  sweet  potato  sus- 
pended by  a  string,  and  for  which  they  each  ask  a  shil- 
ling or  a  yard  of  limbo,  but  go  away  satisfied,  toward 
evening,  with  a  tablespoonful  of  salt. 

We  have  now  traveled  twenty-three  days  without 
seeing  a  native  village,  with  the  exception  of  the  kraal 
at  Matipi's.  Through  the  Naqua  Pass  the  high,  rocky 
bluffs  on  each  side  present  quite  an  Alpine  appearance. 
Emerging  into  the  open  country,  we  outspanned,  and 
were  entertained  the  whole  day  by  a  concert  of  un- 
earthly whoops  and  yells  issuing  from  a  glen  where  a 
Mashona  kraal  lay  hid.  A  big  beer-drink  was  evidently 
on  hand.  We  continued  our  journey  the  same  night 
through  "  ProAddential  Pass,"  where  th^  Pioneer  Col- 
umn was  so  agreeably  disappointed  in  not  being  attacked 
by  Lobengula's  warriors;  hence  the  name. 

On  the  22d  we  reached  the  Toquani,  another  hard 
"  river  to  cross."  Last  year  at  this  place  three  prosx)ec- 
tors  on  their  way  to  Salisbury  had  a  melancholy  experi- 
ence. The  eldest  of  the  party  having  been  gored  by  an 
ox,  one  of  his  companions  boldly  ventured  to  cross  the 
swollen  river  on  horseback  to  call  medical  aid  from 
Victoria.  He  had  reached  the  center  of  the  stream, 
when  a  crocodile  seized  him  by  the  leg,  mangling  it 
fearfully,  and  dragged  him  down  to  some  reeds,  where 
he  lay  in  a  helpless  condition  all  night,  doing  his  best  to 


ZIMBABIVE. 


251 


keep  the  monster  at  bay  with  his  revolver.  At  day- 
break his  moans  brought  friends  to  his  assistance,  who 
carried  him  to  Victoria.  But  it  was  too  late ;  gangrene 
had  already  set  in.  He  succumbed  next  day,  and  was 
laid  to  rest  by  the  side  of  a  young  Englishman  whom 
fever  and  hunger  had  cut  off  a  few  days  previously 
(kind-hearted  countrymen  had  planted  a  few  flowers 
on  the  graves,  and  erected  a  palisade  of  sticks  to  pro- 
tect them  from  the  hyenas),  while  the  comrade  for 
whose  sake  he  had  attempted  to  ford  the  river  died  by 
the  .wayside. 

We  reached  Victoria  on  the  morning  of  the  24th  and 
outspanned  at  the  new  township.  I  walked  back  to 
the  fort,  about  four  miles,  for  the  purpose  of  picking  up 
Kaffirs  to  carry  my  photo  apparatus,  blankets,  and  some 
provisions,  and  started  about  noon  to  visit  the  Zim- 
babwe ruins,  fifteen  miles  southeast  by  east.  By  sun- 
down we  were  busy  cooking  our  supper  in  an  open 
space  near  these  marvelous  memorials  of  a  great  but 
long  defunct  people.  The  night  was  bitterly  cold  for  a 
bed  on  the  bare  earth,  and  we  had  only  enough  firewood 
to  last  a  couple  of  hours ;  so  we  hailed  with  relief  the 
first  streak  of  day,  and  got  astir  stiff  and  cramped. 
With  dry  grass  we  made  up  sufficient  fire  to  prepare  a 
cup  of  hot  tea,  which  had  a  wonderful  effect  in  reviving 
our  spirits.  I  then  set  about  seeking  points  of  vantage 
for  the  tripod,  but  found  it  impossible,  even  with  a  wide- 
angle  lens,  to  get  the  curious  tower  within  the  rotunda. 
Its  position  is  much  confined  by  high  trees  and  broken 
walls,  while  the  long  grass  and  weeds  would  require 
half  a  dozen  men  clearing  up  for  days  before  the  cam- 


252 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


era  could  be  brought  to  bear  successfully  on  much  that 
is  most  interesting  among  these  grand  relics  of  a  people 
\rhose  identity  so  far  is  a  matter  of  speculation. 

After  taking  a  view  of  the  rotunda  from  the  north- 
east, we  gathered  our  traps  and  climbed  to  the  top  of 
the  kopjie,  where  the  remains  of  the  ancient  fort  are  to 
be  found.  Here  again  we  were  foiled  in  the  attempt  to 
get  pictures ;  everywhere  the  summit  of  the  southeast 
portion  has  been  built  upon,  and  so  closely  that  one 
can  only  walk  in  and  out  among  the  narrow  passages 
and  small  rooms,  but  nowhere  could  we  find  sufficient 
distance  to  focus  upon  more  than  a  few  feet  of  wall  at 
a  time.  Why  these  Phoenicians,  Arabians,  or  whoever 
they  may  have  been,  should  have  crowded  themselves 
and  their  stronghold  into  such  a  limited  space  is  ex- 
plained when  in  walking  around  to  the  north  side  we 
find  the  only  entrance  is  through  a  crevice  between  two 
huge  rocks,  so  small  as  to  admit  of  but  one  person  at  a 
time ;  while  the  boulders  present  a  perpendicular  front 
about  forty  feet  high,  uniting  with  others  of  the  same 
character  to  form  a  wall  across  the  kopjie  almost  as  im- 
pregnable to  the  weapons  of  modern  as  it  must  have 
been  to  those  of  ancient  warfare.  Access  from  any 
other  direction  is  impossible  on  account  of  the  high, 
smooth-faced,  rocky  cM  of  ninety  feet  on  the  opposite 
side,  which  in  several  places  has  been  supplemented 
by  the  addition  of  walls  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  in 
height,  and  built  so  as  to  form  a  continuation  of  the 
precipice. 

To  those  archseologically  inclined  we  would  recom- 
mend the  book  entitled  "  The  Euined  Cities  of  Mashona- 
land,"  by  J.  T.  Bent,  Esq.,  an  expert  and  scientist  who 


PROMINENT  FEATURES. 


253 


visited  these  ruins  a  short  time  ago,  and  from  whose 
description  we  take  the  following  extracts: 

"The  prominent  features  of  the  Great  Zimbabwe 
ruins,  which  cover  a  large  area  of  ground,  are,  firstly, 
the  large  circular  ruin  with  its  round  tower  on  the  edge 
of  a  gentle  slope  on  the  plain  below ;  secondly,  the  mass 
of  ruins  in  the  valley  immediately  beneath  this;  and 
thirdly,  the  intricate  fortress  on  the  granite  hill  above, 
acting  as  the  acropolis  of  the  ancient  city.  These  we 
will  now  discuss  in  their  order. 

"  When  we  reached  the  Great  Zimbabwe  the  circular 
ruin  was  on  the  inside  a  dense  mass  of  tropical  vegeta- 
tation ;  creepers  and  monkey  ropes  hung  in  matted  con- 
fusion to  the  tall  trees,  forming  a  jungle  which  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  penetrate,  and  added  to  the  mazy 
labyrinth  of  walls  a  peculiar  and  almost  awe-inspiring 
mystery. 

"  It  was  the  work  of  some  days  to  clear  this  off  with 
the  aid  of  native  workmen,  while  at  the  same  time  we 
proceeded  with  our  excavations  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  tower  and  other  prominent  portions  of  the  building. 

"  As  for  the  walls  themselves,  they  were  nearly  free 
from  vegetation,  for,  owing  to  the  absence  of  mortar,  no 
lichen,  moss,  or  creeper  could  thrive  on  them,  and  those 
few  things  which  had  penetrated  into  crevices  were  of 
a  succulent  character,  which  formed  their  branches  to 
the  shape  of  the  interstices.  To  this  fact  is  due  the 
wonderful  state  of  preservation  in  which  these  ruins 
are  found. 

"What  appeared  at  first  sight  to  be  a  true  circle 
eventually  proved  elliptical — a  form  of  temple  found 
at  Marib,  the  ancient  Saba  and  capital  of  the  Sabsean 


254 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


kingdom  in  Arabia,  and  at  tlie  Castle  of  Nakab  al  Ha- 
jar,  also  in  that  country.*  Its  greatest  length  is  two 
hundred  and  eighty  feet ;  the  wall  at  its  highest  point 
is  thirty-five  feet  above  the  ground,  and  fifteen  feet  at 
the  lowest;  its  greatest  base  thickness  is  sixteen  feet 
two  inches,  and  its  thinnest  point  is  about  five  feet.  .  .  . 

"The  labyrinthine  character  of  the  interior  will  be 
best  grasped  by  a'  glance  at  the  plan.  Entering  from 
the  northern  portal,  we  at  once  plunge  into  its  intrica- 
cies. The  great  and  astounding  feature  is  the  long  nar- 
row passage  leading  direct  from  the  main  entrance  to 
the  sacred  inclosure,  so  narrow  in  parts  that  two  people 
cannot  walk  abreast ;  while  on  either  side  of  you  rise 
the  stupendous  walls,  thirty  feet  in  height,  and  built 
with  such  evenness  of  courses  and  symmetry  that  as  a 
specimen  of  the  dry  builder's  art  it  is  without  a  parallel. 
The  large  blocks  of  cut  stone  used  in  Egyptian,  Greek, 
and  Eoman  masonry  must  have  been  comparatively 
easy  to  deal  with  as  compared  with  these  small  stones 
of  rough  granite  built  in  even  courses  in  a  circular  wall 
of  immense  thickness  and  height.  The  idea  at  once 
suggests  itself  that  the  people  who  erected  these  walls 
had  at  one  time  been  accustomed  to  build  in  bricks,  and 
that  in  the  absence  of  this  material  they  had  perfected 
a  system  of  stone-building  to  represent  as  nearly  as 
possible  the  appearance  of  brick.  Also  another  reason 
for  the  use  of  small  stones  may  have  been  to  enable 
them  to  construct  the  tower  and  curves  with  greater 
accuracy.  The  facings  of  the  stones  are  all  uniform, 
but  most  of  them  run  back  into  the  wall  irregularly, 
acting  in  the  same  way  as  tliroiiglis  in  our  dry-built 

*  Encyclopaedia  Britannica. 


AN  ANCIENT  STRONGHOLD. 


255 


walls  at  home  in  preserving  tlie  building  from  fall- 
ing. In  this  narrow  passage,  at  point  S  is  the  re- 
markable hole,  executed  with  perfect  neatness  through 
the  thickest  part  of  the  wall,  about  the  actual  use  of 
which  I  am  able  to  give  no  definite  theory.  It  could 
not  have  been  used  for  drainage  or  defense ;  and  in  the 
fortress  above  there  are  two  similar  tunnels  equally  in- 
explicable. .  .  . 

"  I  will  now  proceed  to  describe  the  hill  fortress  ap- 
proaching it  from  the  valley  below.  .  .  .  The  kopjie 
itself  is  of  great  natural  strength,  being  protected  on 
one  side  by  gigantic  granite  boulders,  and  on  the  south 
by  a  precipice  from  seventy  to  ninety  feet  in  height, 
and  on  the  only  accessible  side  the  ancient  inhabitants 
constructed  a  wall  of  massive  thickness,  like  those  of 
the  ruins  below.  This  wall  is  thirteen  feet  thick  on  the 
summit,  with  a  batter  of  one  foot  in  six ;  it  is  thirty  feet 
high  in  parts,  and  the  flat  causeway  on  the  top  was 
decorated  on  the  outside  edge  by  a  succession  of  small 
round  towers  alternating  with  tall  monoliths.  Seven 
round  towers  in  all  we  made  out,  about  three  feet  in 
diameter,  and  several  others  had  been  destroyed  by  the 
fall  of  a  portion  of  the  wall.  This  system  of  round 
towers  and  monoliths  produces  one  of  the  most  peculiar 
and  unique  forms  of  decoration  I  have  ever  seen.  «  .  . 
In  one  place  is  a  narrow  sloping  gully  four  feet  across, 
ascending  between  two  boulders,  and  protected,  for  no 
conceivable  reason,  by  six  alternate  buttresses  and  a 
wall  at  the  upper  end,  forming  a  zigzag  passage  nar- 
rowed in  one  place  to  ten  inches.  Walls  of  huge  size 
shut  off  separate  chambers.  In  all  directions  every- 
thing is  tortuous;  every  inch  of  ground  is  protected 


256 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


with  buttresses  and  traverses.  Here,  too,  as  in  the  large 
circular  building  below,  all  the  entrances  are  rounded 
off,  and  I  imagine  that  here  we  have  quite  the  oldest 
portion  of  the  ruins,  built  at  a  time  when  defense  was 
the  main  object.  "When  they  were  able  to  do  so  with 
safety,  they  next  constructed  the  circular  temple  below, 
and  as  time  went  on  they  erected  the  more  carelessly 
put  together  buildings  around,  which  I  have  described." 

A  number  of  Mashonas  have  taken  refuge  on  the  hill- 
top, forming  quite  a  large  kraal,  and  so  far  escaping 
the  raiding  and  plundering  impis  of  Lobengula;  for  no 
sooner  are  the  Matebele  known  to  be  on  the  war-path 
than  the  natives  betake  themselves  with  their  small 
cattle  through  the  crevice,  where,  once  inside,  three  or 
four  armed  men  are  more  than  a  match  for  a  regi- 
ment. 

By  11  A.M.  I  had  finished  my  work,  and,  delighted 
with  our  visit  to  Zimbabwe,  we  set  out  for  the  wagons ; 
but  on  coming  to  a  brook  we  remembered  that  we  had 
omitted  breakfast.  We  stopped  and  boiled  water  in 
our  "  billy,"  threw  in  some  tea,  and  this  served  to  wash 
down  the  bit  of  bread  we  had  saved  for  this  repast. 
This  done,  we  were  off  once  more. 

The  extremes  of  temperature  are  so  great  at  this  sea- 
son of  the  year  that  it  is  hard  to  tell  whether'  we  suffer 
most  from  the  cold  during  the  night  or  the  sweltering 
heat  of  the  day.  We  have  no  time  to  delay  thinking 
of  it,  however,  as  we  do  not  wish  to  keep  the  wagons 
waiting;  we  generally  like  to  trek  about  sundown. 

By  four  o'clock  we  had  covered  the  fifteen  miles  to 
Victoria,  of  which  place  there  is  little  to  say,  except 
that  there  are  several  temporarily  built  stores,  and  a 


FORT  VICTORIA.  257 

few  police  of  the  British  South  African  Company.  But 
why  so  few  are  there,  no  one  knows.  A  foolhardy 
confidence  is  placed  by  the  company  in  the  professed 
friendship  and  pacific  attitude  of  Lobengula  toward  the 
English ;  but  those  who  best  know  the  crafty  old  chief 
of  the  Matebele  declare  that  an  attack  on  the  Europe- 
ans is  inevitable,  and  that  at  no  distant  date.  For, 
even  now,  although  Lo-ben  is  receiving  a  pension  of 
one  hundred  pounds  a  month  in  gold,  his  younger 
braves  are  fretting  like  sleuth-hounds  in  the  leash  for 
liberty  to — as  they  say — wipe  out  the  white  invaders 
of  their  country.  A  fort  has  been  constructed  with 
a  broken-backed  provision- shed  in  the  center,  and  a 
trench  and  breastwork  that  would  be  no  formidable 
barrier  to  the  advance  of  a  company  of  schoolboys,  not 
to  speak  of  a  charge  of  Zulus.  Mr.  Bent,  the  archae- 
ologist already  referred  to,  comments  on  this  place  as 
follows : 

"  In  point  of  fact,  the  scenery  of  Mashonaland  is  noth- 
ing if  not  quaint.  .  .  .  Fort  Victoria  has  no  redeeming 
point  of  beauty  about  it  whatsoever,  being  placed  on  a 
bare,  flat  plateau,  surrounded  in  the  rainy  season  by 
swamps.  Nearly  everybody  was  down  with  fever  when 
we  got  there;  provisions  were  at  famine  prices — for 
example,  seven  shillings  for  a  pound  of  bacon  and  the 
same  price  for  a  tin  of  jam ;  and  the  melancholy  aspect 
of  affairs  was  enhanced  by  the  hundred  and  fifty  sad- 
dles placed  in  rows  within  the  fort,  which  had  once 
belonged  to  the  hundred  and  fifty  horses  brought  up 
by  the  pioneers,  all  of  which  had  died  of  horse-sickness. 

"  The  diseases  to  which  quadrupeds  are  subject  in 
this  country  are  appalling.    One  man  of  our  acquaint- 


258 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ance  brought  up  eighty-seven  horses,  of  which  eighty- 
six  died  before  he  got  to  Fort  Victoria." 

Four  miles  more,  and  we  reach  the  wagons,  rather 
footsore,  and  a  bit  hungry.  The  oxen  are  being  driven 
up  as  we  get  into  camp.  An  hour  more,  and  we  are 
on  the  trek  again,  travehng  slowly,  on  account  of  the 
deep  sand,  grass  fires  sweeping  through  the  scraggy 
bush  for  miles  on  either  side.  Two  days  of  this  and 
we  find  ourselves  on  a  great  desert  plain,  where  we 
look  in  every  direction  for  some  sign  of  life  on  this  vast 
stretch  of  sunburnt  earth — in  vain.  We  cannot  even 
obtain  wood  enough  to  cook  our  food,  having  to  collect 
dry  ox-dung  for  this  purpose,  little  thinking  that  this 
was  to  continue,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  nar- 
row belts  of  thorn-bush  and  "  wait-a-bit,"  for  nearly  a 
hundred  miles. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 


FBOM  FORT  VICTORIA  TO  INYMIACAIklBE. 


Fort  Charter. — A  deserted  village. — Chartered  companies. — Salisbury  at 
last ! — The  wealth  of  Mashonaland. — A  vegetable  market. — The  argu- 
ment of  the  upper  ten. — British  influence. — Missions  in  Mashonaland. — 
A  lion-himt. — The  parson  scores  hea\dly. — By  Tete  or  Sena,  which? — 
Fantastic  kopjies. — Termite  mounds. — A  narrow  escape. — Policemen. — 
''Tie  him  up  till  morning." — Umtali. — Massikassi. — Among  the  Portu- 
guese.— A  friend  in  need. — War  in  the  Humbi  country.— Bartering  with 
the  natives  for  food. — Abandoned  wagons. — A  primitive  dug-out. — 
Courteous  natives. — Wading  the  Kulumadzi. — Gorongoza  Moimtain. — 
Digging  for  water. — Spontaneous  combustion. — Baobabs. — Lovely  sweet 
oranges. 


TE  passed  Fort  Charter  on  tlie  night  of  June  5th. 


V  V  This  is  the  place  where  the  company's  Pioneer 
Column  endured  the  greatest  hardships,  through  the 
mismanagement  of  the  commissariat  department,  the 
men  suffering  with  hunger,  with  only  an  occasional  pan- 
nikin of  mealies  to  appease  it ;  while  seveuty  per  cent, 
were  without  boots  and  clothed  in  rags,  at  the  same 
time  working  their  hardest,  building  the  fort,  and  get- 
ting the  numerous  wagons,  machines,  and  guns  through 
the  mud.    And  all  for  what  ? 

The  fort  is  situated  on  a  slight  rise  on  the  dreary 
plain,  the  only  outlook  being  a  vast  expanse  of  white 
sand.  I  found  two  solitary  white  men  in  charge.  One 
was  running  a  "  gin-mill "  in  the  magazine,  but  intend- 
ing to  close  up  in  a  week  or  two,  as  travelers  are  too 


259 


260 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


few  to  make  it  pay,  the  main  road  being  lately  diverted 
tlirougli  another  district.  The  other  is  the  telegraph 
operator,  who  is  in  danger  of  forgetting  the  Morse 
alphabet  for  want  of  practice. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  we  outspanned  at  "  Six- 
Mile  Spruit."  The  large  native  kraal  in  the  vicinity 
turned  out  to  be  completely  deserted,  the  natives  hav- 
ing fled  in  terror  from  the  outrages  committed  upon 
them  by  white  policemen.  The  cooking-pots,  calabashes, 
and  baskets  of  the  Mashonas  scattered  around  the 
huts  were  suggestive  of  hasty  flight.  I  walked  through 
among  the  silent  dwellings,  and  found  in  one  the  de- 
composed corpse  of  a  woman,  apparently  about  twenty- 
five  years  of  age.  The  whole  scene  was  sad  and  sick- 
ening in  the  extreme.  Further  information  from  relia- 
ble sources  only  augmented  our  horror  at  the  depravity 
of  the  brutes,  who  had  thus  added  another  blot  on 
England's  fair  escutcheon.  And  yet  we  have  heard  the 
hope  expressed  by  philanthropic  and  Christian  people 
at  home  that  with  the  opening  up  of  Central  Africa  by 
British  protectorates  and  chartered  companies  an  en- 
trance would  be  secured  to  the  heart  of  this  hitherto 
unevangelized  field  for  the  gospel  of  Christ.  But  it  is 
much  to  be  feared  that  not  in  this  generation  will  the 
deep-seated  dread  and  bitter  hate  of  the  Mashonas 
toward  the  white  man  be  eradicated,  whether  he  rep- 
resents the  church,  government,  or  commei'ce. 

Dr.  Gruthrie,  of  honored  name,  hit  the  mark  when  he 
said  in  reference  to  British  colonization:  "Not  more 
fatal  to  the  Canaanites  the  irruption  of  the  Hebrews 
than  our  arrival  in  almost  every  colony  to  its  native 
population.    We  have  seized  their  lands,  and,  in  a  way 


SALISBUR  Y. 


261 


less  honorable  and  even  merciful  than  the  sword  of 
Israel,  have  given  them  in  return  nothing  but  a  grave. 
They  have  perished  before  our  vices  and  diseases;  our 
presence  has  been  their  extermination.  Nor  is  it  possi- 
ble for  a  man  with  a  heart  to  read  many  pages  of  our 
colonial  history  without  feelings  of  deepest  pity  and 
burning  indignation.  They  remind  us  of  the  sad  but 
true  words  of  Fowell  Buxton.  '  The  darkest  day,'  said 
that  Christian  philanthropist,  ^for  many  a  heathen 
tribe  was  that  which  first  saw  the  white  man  step 
upon  its  shores.'" 

By  8.30  P.M.  we  are  on  the  outskirts  of  Salisbury.  I 
walked  on  ahead  of  the  wagons  so  as  to  choose  a  suit- 
able place  where  we  might  pitch  our  tent.  The  night 
was  bitterly  cold,  and  the  bleak  open  veldt  anything 
but  inviting.  Fearing  that  we  might  inadvertently 
squat  on  private  property,  we  interrogated  two  gen- 
tlemen on  the  question  who  were  passing  at  the  time. 
One  of  them,  a  German,  happened  to  be  the  owner  of 
the  land,  and  most  cordially  suggested  our  taking  pos- 
session of  an  unoccupied  hut  close  by,  kindly  placing 
it  at  our  service  so  long  as  we  remained  in  the  district. 
This  was  a  most  unexpected  but  acceptable  windfall, 
as  a  hut  is  warmer  in  the  night  and  cooler  in  the  day 
than  a  tent — no  small  consideration  when  we  remem- 
ber that  the  thermometer  registers  up  to  90^  F.  midday, 
and  frequently  32^  F.  at  night.  The  wagons  coming 
up,  our  baggage  was  unloaded  and  safely  stowed  in  our 
new  abode. 

Salisbury  at  last — headquarters  of  the  British  South 
African  Company,  and  the  most  northerly  point  reached 
by  the  Pioneer  Column  in  1892.    The  business  shanties 


262 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


are  built  along  the  base  of  an  isolated  kopjie,  forming 
one  long  street,  while  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley, 
and  abont  a  mile  distant,  are  situated  the  official  huts 
belonging  to  various  departments  of  the  government, 
the  military  camp,  and  the  public  hospital.  At  present 
there  seems  to  be  stagnation  in  every  line  of  business 
in  Salisbury.  Miners  are  discouraged  over  the  fifty 
per  cent,  of  their  "finds"  being  claimed  by  the  com- 
pany, and  are  leaving  for  pastures  new,  while  there  are 
but  few  coming  in  to  take  their  places.  Large  con- 
signments of  liquor  and  provisions  are  being  piled  lip 
at  the  doors  of  the  traders,  until  they  have  now  more 
than  sufficient  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  small  com- 
munity for  several  years  to  come.  Bankruptcy  is  the 
order  of  the  day.  Sales  by  auction  are  held  twice  a 
week,  where  goods  are  sacrificed  at  less  than  then*  orig- 
inal cost  in  the  colony,  so  as  to  realize  sufficient  to  meet 
present  demands.  All  this  has  caused  a  deplorable  re- 
action, and  those  who  have  extolled  "  the  inconceivable 
wealth  of  Mashonaland  "  as  "  impossible  to  exaggerate  " 
are  in  worse  than  bad  odor  with  the  unfortunate  inhab- 
itants. Every  other  night  indignation  meetings  are 
held.  At  one  of  them  the  following  cablegram  was 
formulated  and  dispatched  to  the  directors  in  England : 
'^In  consequence  of  the  stagnation  in  this  country 
through  the  company's  fifty-per-cent.  charge,  a  full 
representative  meeting  was  held  on  the  11th  inst., 
strongly  protesting  against  the  claim,  which  is  to  the 
detriment  of  the  country's  progress  and  of  the  weKare 
of  all  inhabitants,  and  respectfully  but  firmly  request- 
ing an  immediate  reduction  to  ten  per  cent." 

The  crudest  deception  of  all  seems  to  be  the  encour- 


A  VEGETABLE  MARKET. 


263 


aging  of  farmers  with  their  families  to  trek  from  the 
south  to  these  highlands,  with  the  promise  of  thou- 
sands of  acres  of  fine  farming  country  free.  No  one 
looking  out  on  the  dreary  wastes  we  have  traversed 
during  the  last  forty-five  days  could  hope  to  earn  even 
a  bare  living  from  the  arid  soil.  Good  crops  of  wheat 
or  grain  it  certainly  will  not  yield,  except  in  the  few 
low-lying  spots  on  the  banks  of  the  spruits,  and  these 
only  Kaffir-corn  or  mealies.  We  have  talked  with  sev- 
eral white  men  who  have  put  the  matter  to  the  test  dur- 
ing the  past  two  years  with  results  almost  nil.  Pota- 
toes have  been  planted,  but  they  no  sooner  begin  to 
form  than  the  white  ants  eat  them  off ;  and  this  termite 
occupies  only  the  best  land. 

We  were  invited  by  one  of  the  authorities  (who,  hav- 
ing, as  he  said,  large  stakes  in  the  country,  tries  to  look 
hopefully  on  its  future)  to  visit  the  vegetable  market. 
We  did  so.  A  jackass  could  have  carried  away  all  the 
garden  produce  displayed  without  being  overloaded. 
I  leave  the  reader  to  draw  his  own  conclusions  as  to 
the  productiveness  of  the  soil  from  the  fact  that  a  small 
basket  of  potatoes  not  much  bigger  than  walnuts  was 
offered  and  found  purchasers  at  two  shillings  per  pound. 

To  obtain  anything  like  farming  lands  we  must  leave 
the  high  veldt  and  try  such  districts  as  lie  east  and 
northeast  of  Victoria  or  the  Mazoe  Valley.  Far  from 
Mashonaland  being  even  a  fair  average  country  for 
farming,  none  but  those  who  have  "an  ax  to  grind" 
in  booming  it  will  speak  of  it  other  than  as  a  failure 
for  such  purposes.  That  there  is  gold  in  the  country 
there  can  be  no  question,  and  for  those  who  are  willing 
to  risk  their  lives  in  an  insalubrious  clime  to  find  it 


264 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


there  is  no  doubt  a  future  of  some  promise ;  but  as  for 
aught  else,  it  is  but  another  "  South  Sea  bubble." 

Imported  domestic  animals  are  short-lived,  and  those 
indigenous  to  the  country  are  correctly  described  by  Mr. 
Bent  thus :  "  The  characteristic  of  all  domestic  animals 
in  Mashonaland  is  their  small  size.  The  cows  are  less 
than  our  Gruernsey  breed,  and  give  very  little  milk ;  the 
sheep  and  goats  are  diminutive  and  unhealthy  looking ; 
the  hens  are  ridiculous  little  things,  and  their  eggs  not 
much  bigger  than  pigeons'  eggs  at  home;  as  for  the 
dogs,  they  are  the  most  contemptible  specimens  of  the 
canine  race  I  have  ever  seen  in  any  of  my  wanderings. 
This  does  not  look  well  for  the  prospects  of  the  agri- 
culturists." 

The  great  argument  "that  the  country  is  new,  that 
much  will  yet  be  accomplished,  but  we  must  await  de- 
velopments," and  laying  special  emphasis  on  the  ben- 
eficial results  accruing  to  every  country  that  has  the 
good  fortune  to  be  under  British  influence,  serves  but 
to  remind  me  of  a  circumstance  that  is  reported  to  have 
occurred  here  a  short  time  ago.  Two  miners  on  com- 
ing into  Salisbury  had  treated  themselves  to  a  few  bot- 
tles of  "  Grlenlivet,"  retiring  to  their  hut  to  consume 
them;  and  when  no  longer  able  to  maintain  their 
equilibrium,  one  asked  the  other,  "  How  do  you  feel  ? " 
"  Feel !  "  was  the  reply — "  I  feel — that  I  am  under  the 
sphere — of  British  influence." 

On  the  14th,  accompanied  by  Dr.  Rand  (to  meet  with 
whom  so  unexpectedly  here  was  a  mutual  joy,  having 
known  each  other  years  ago  in  Jamaica),  I  returned  to 
Six-Mile  Spruit,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  some  photos 
of  the  village,  to  find  nothing  but  a  mass  of  blackened 


BUSHMEN'S  DRAIVINGS. 


265 


ruins.  We  draw  our  own  conclusions  from  this,  and 
regret  having  prematurely  spoken  of  discovering  the 
body  of  a  woman  in  one  of  the  huts,  as  interested  par- 
ties had  doubtless  got  wind  of  this ;  hence  the  evident 
incendiary.  Special  care  had  been  taken  to  see  that 
the  burning  of  the  hut  with  the  body  was  done  thor- 
oughly. That  it  was  not  the  result  of  a  bush  fire  was 
manifest  from  the  fact  that  the  grass  for  several  yards 
round  the  hut  was  unscathed.  On  removing  the  debris 
and  exposing  the  remains  of  the  woman,  however,  Dr. 
Ean-d  found  the  bones  in  sufficient  form  to  enable  him 
to  corroborate  my  statements. 

While  rambling  in  the  bush  a  short  distance  from 
this  place,  Dr.  Rand  drew  my  attention  to  an  over- 
hanging rock  under  which  was  a  large  stone,  its  flat 
surface  literally  covered  with  bushmen's  drawings,  very 
ancient  and  interesting.  The  artists,  as  a  people,  have 
long  since  disappeared  from  Mashonaland,  although 
specimens  of  their  work  are  to  be  found  in  many  dis- 
tricts, particularly  in  the  Mazoe  Valley.  They  repre- 
sent, generally,  wild  animals  and  all  sorts  of  game, 
battle  scenes,  etc.,  and  are  done  in  colored  pigments, 
red,  black,  and  yellow  predominating.  On  close  inspec- 
tion the  pigments  appear  to  have  eaten  into  the  rock ; 
hence  their  preservation. 

The  week  spent  at  Salisbury  passed  very  rapidly  and 
pleasantly.  Making  the  acquaintance  of  the  leading 
people  of  the  district  was  a  material  help  to  my  gath- 
ering information  on  points  of  importance  to  intending 
emigrants. 

I  met  "  Major  ^  and  Mrs.  P  of  the  Salvation  Army, 

who  came  up  about  a  year  ago  with  the  intention  of 


266 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


establishing  a  recniiting  center,  but  so  far  without  suc- 
cess ;  the  class  of  men  found  in  mining  camps  resent 
being  sought  after  by  the  Army.  The  "Major"  seems 
to  be  an  intelligent  man,  but  has  only  a  faint  hope  that 
some  day  in  the  distant  future  they  may  be  able  to  do 
something,  should  the  projects  in  hand  for  the  country 
succeed ;  otherwise  the  field  will  have  to  be  abandoned. 
The  Church  of  England  has  also  a  representative  here, 
though  there  is  no  church  or  meeting-house  yet;  but 
a  few  people  on  Sunday  mornings  attend  a  service  held 
in  a  small  hut. 

The  most  successful  and  enterprising  mission  is  the 
Wesleyan  Methodist,  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
Rev.  Isaac  Shimmin,  an  earnest  and  energetic  mission- 
ary, who,  although  in  Salisbury  less  than  two  years, 
has  succeeded  in  building  a  very  neat  little  chapel, 
seating  about  two  hundred,  and  opened  a  fortnight 
ago,  free  of  debt,  most  of  the  money  having  been  sub- 
scribed in  the  district.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a 
more  suitable  man  for  such  a  sphere.  His  manly, 
frank,  and  honest  bearing  has  won  the  confidence  of 
the  whole  community;  but  it  draws  the  line  at  going 
to  church ;  very,  very  few  turn  out  to  the  services  on 
Sunday. 

On  Wednesday  evening,  by  request,  I  lectured  in  the 
chapel  to  a  full  house  on  the  subject  of  my  journey 
from  the  West  Coast ;  and  probably  never  again  shall 
I  have  the  opportunity  of  addressing  an  audience  so 
entirely  composed  of  those  who  could  best  appreciate 
an  account  of  the  trials,  privations,  and  dangers  inci- 
dent to  African  travel,  every  individual  man  being  in 
a  position  to  sympathize  more  or  less  from  actual 


A  LION  HUNT. 


267 


experience.  A  liberal  collection  was  made  at  the  close 
toward  the  seating  of  the  new  building. 

The  missions  in  Mashonaland,  however,  so  far,  are  for 
the  evangelization  of  the  Europeans ;  no  effort  is  being 
put  forth  to  reach  the  natives. 

A  few  weeks  ago  Mr.  Shimmin  scored  heavily  against 
four  or  five  leading  sportsmen  in  the  town,  who,  in 
response  to  the  request  of  some  natives  of  a  distant 
village  that  the  white  men  might  come  and  kill  a  lion 
which  was  taking  off  their  meager  flocks  of  goats, 
arranged  for  a  hunt.  Mr.  Shimmin  formed  one  of  the 
party,  in  spite  of  an  ill-disguised  protest  on  the  part  of 
the  hunters  to  a  "parson"  going  on  such  an  errand, 
anticipating,  of  course,  that  a  man  of  the  "  cloth  "  would 
be  in  their  way.  The  bush  where  the  lion  was  said  to 
be  lurking  being  reached,  a  very  short  time  elapsed 
before  a  low  growl  revealed  his  whereabouts.  Immedi- 
ately several  shots  were  fired  at  random,  which  served 
only  to  enrage  the  brute,  and  with  a  bound  he  charged 
his  assailants,  who  took  to  their  heels,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  "  parson,"  who  stood  his  ground  with  his 
rifle  at  the  "  ready."  The  monster  sprang  on  the  hind- 
most of  the  fleeing  sportsmen,  bringing  him  to  the 
ground  with  fearful  force,  and  inflicting  a  ghastly 
wound  -in  his  leg.  For  an  instant  the  lion,  with  his 
forepaws  on  the  prostrate  man,  raised  his  head  to  look 
around,  when  Mr.  Shimmin,  taking  steady  aim,  planted 
a  bullet  in  a  vital  spot,  rolling  the  beast  over — dead. 
The  man  was  saved.  But  where  were  his  comrades? 
They  came  back  on  hearing  the  shot,  shouting  with 
great  agitation,  "Where  is  it!  Where  is  it!"  The 
"  parson  "  pointed  for  answer  to  the  inanimate  carcass. 


268 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


It  has  been  a  treat  to  meet  so  many  friends  in  this 
far-distant  land,  but  we  must  be  on  the  move  home- 
ward. Two  ways  are  open  to  us,  viz.,  by  Tete  to  Blan- 
tyre  and  Nyasa,  or  via  Umtali  to  Sena  and  up  the  Shire 
Eiver.  We  have  tried  our  best,  backed  by  the  influ- 
ence of  Mr.  Doyle,  the  interpreter,  and  others,  to  get 
carriers  for  the  first  route ;  but  no  money  will  tempt 
them  to  go.  A  few  Shanghans  came  and  booked,  giv- 
ing me  a  little  hope  of  getting  through  by  what  would 
have  been  the  shortest  way;  but  at  the  last  moment 
they  backed  out.  The  fact  is,  the  company  have  been 
sending  down  policemen  in  that  direction  of  late,  to 
punish  recreant  chiefs  for  infringement  of  its  laws  by 
burning  their  villages,  and  to  which  Mr.  Bent  refers : 

"A  fine  of  cattle  had  been  imposed  on  the  chief, 
accompanied  by  a  threat  that  if  the  fine  was  not  paid 
by  a  certain  day  the  kraal  would  be  burned  down. 

The  fine  was  not  paid,  and  Major  ,  with  a  band  of 

men,  rode  out  to  execute  the  orders,  borrowing  two  of 
our  horses  for  the  occasion.  As  we  passed  through  the 
village  the  ashes  of  huts  and  granaries  were  still  smol- 
dering, broken  pots  and  household  goods  lay  around 
in  wild  confusion,  and  all  the  inhabitants  had  taken 
refuge  at  one  of  the  neighboring  villages.  As  we  passed 
by  this,  it  is  needless  to  say  we  did  not  meet  with  an 
altogether  cordial  reception.  We  dismounted  and  went 
among  them,  asking  in  vain  for  beer,  eggs,  and  fowls. 
The  Morunko  (white  men)  had  taken  them  all,  they 
said,  and  they  received  our  overtures  of  friendship  with 
silent  and,  as  we  thought,  ominous  contempt." 

As  a  result  of  this,  carriers  from  this  side  unpro- 
tected naturally  fear  retaliation. 


V 


TERMITE  MOUNDS. 


269 


Failing  the  Tete  road,  I  take  tlie  next  best,  via  Um- 
tali,  which  has  one  advantage :  transport  for  the  first 
hundred  and  ninety  miles  can  be  done  by  bullock- 
wagon. 

On  June  19th  we  left  Salisbury.  I  am  not  altogether 
disappointed  at  being  obliged  to  take  this  direction,  as 
I  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  Umtali  and  learn- 
ing something  of  Manicaland.  The  road  gets  more  di- 
versified the  nearer  we  approach  Manica.  Some  of  the 
gorges  and  canons  are  very  fine,  and  the  rocky  koj)jies 
present  most  fantastic  and  peculiar  features.  At  a  dis- 
tance the  rugged  peaks  appear  like  ruins  of  ancient 
castles  or  monasteries  so  familiar  to  tourists  in  Italy ; 
otherwise  they  have  the  same  characteristics  as  those 
observed  south  of  Salisbury,  consisting  of  masses  of 
solid  gi^anite,  and  almost  void  of  vegetation. 

It  is  remarkable  that  with  the  granite  kopjies  appear 
also  the  huge  ant-hills  such  as  we  last  saw  beyond  the 
Kwanza.  There  have  been  many  doubts  and  a  great 
deal  of  speculation  expressed  by  travelers  as  to  whether 
these  mounds,  so  numerous,  and  varying  in  size  up  to 
eighteen  feet  in  height,  and  even  a  greater  diameter  at 
the  base,  are  the  work  of  ants  at  all.  This  is  excusable, 
in  a  measure,  on  the  West  Coast,  where  the  activity  of 
the  termites  has  ceased  constructing  such  memorials  of 
their  existence,  probably  for  centuries ;  but  here  there 
can  be  no  doubt  on  the  subject,  as  during  the  dry  sea- 
son we  observe  a  number  of  chimney-like  structures, 
from  a  few  inches  to  two  or  three  feet  in  height,  and 
averaging  eight  inches  in  diameter,  on  the  mounds.  On 
closer  inspection  we  see  the  ants,  all  alive,  working  their 
hardest,  bringing  from  below  the  particles  of  earth  of 


270 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


■wliicli  the  buildiug  is  composed.  They  go  on  uuinter- 
ruptedly  -antil  the  wet  season,  when  the  rains  break 
down  their  edifices  of  untempered  mortar,  and  so  ad  in- 
finitum increase,  year  by  year,  the  proportions  of  the 
great  ant-hills,  that  in  some  districts  appear  at  a  dis- 
tance like  the  conical  roofs  of  so  many  native  huts. 

The  journey  to  Umtali  occupied  only  eleven  days, 
and  there  were  but  few  incidents  worthy  of  note,  ex- 
cept, perhaps,  that  I  had  rather  a  narrow  escape  from 
what  in  many  instances  has  terminated  fatally  to  either 
man  or  beast,  sometimes  to  both.  As  game  is  only 
found  some  distance  from  the  road,  the  transport  rider 
in  charge  of  the  wagon  having  with  him  two  good 
horses,  one  or  other  of  us  was  accustomed  to  go  out 
every  day  for  a  hunt  while  outspanned.  On  the  28th, 
near  the  Odzi  Eiver,  in  company  with  a  young  gentle- 
man holding  the  official  position  of  the  company's  for- 
ester (like  us,  he  was  bound  for  Umtali),  I  started  as 
usual  for  the  bush.  After  riding  some  miles  we  raised 
an  antelope  and  gave  chase,  clearing  the  narrow  sluits 
and  spruits  at  a  good  gallop ;  but,  unfortunately,  in  at- 
tempting to  head  off  the  animal  I  took  a  course  that 
led  along  by  the  side  of  a  brook  to  leeward  of  a  steep 
bank  and  near  to  some  reeds,  among  which  the  buck 
disappeared,  when  my  horse  plunged  headfirst  into  a 
game-pit.  These  wretched  traps  in  this  part  of  Africa 
are  exactly  like  an  ordinary  grave,  about  seven  feet 
long  and  five  feet  deep,  and  a  little  over  two  feet  wide, 
but  narrowing  down  to  a  few  inches  at  the  bottom, 
which  generally  bristles  with  sharp  spikes,  although, 
luckily,  not  so  this  time.  It  was  so  well  hidden  with 
long  gi-ass  that  I  could  not  see  whether  we  had  got 


POLICEMEN. 


271 


in  broadside  or  lengthways  of  the  hole.  I  was  not 
kept  long  in  doubt,  for  the  horse  made  a  second  plunge 
to  free  himself,  and  down  we  went  together,  jamming 
my  legs  against  the  sides  of  the  pit.  Happily  for  both 
of  us,  the  ground  was  soft  and  loose,  and  I  managed 
to  extricate  myself  in  a  short  time  by  knocking  in 
the  bank  at  the  end  with  the  butt  of  my  rifle.  The 
plucky  animal  with  a  struggle  succeeded  in  getting 
clear  of  the  hole,  but  was  too  frightened  for  more  gal- 
loping over  the  veldt  that  evening,  so  we  had  to  return 
to  tjie  wagons. 

When  about  three  treks  from  Salisbury,  a  circum- 
stance came  under  my  notice  that  confirmed  in  a  great 
measure  reports  I  had  heard  of  the  doings  of  some 
of  the  British  South  African  Company's  police.  A  cer- 
tain captain  with  three  men,  who  had  been  sent  to  arbi- 
trate some  matters  with  the  natives  in  the  Mutassi 
district,  were  returning  to  headquarters,  when  they 
overtook  on  the  road  four  Mashonas  driving  two  small 
oxen.  On  seeing  policemen  approach,  of  whom  they 
had  heard  enough  to  make  them  dread  a  closer  ac- 
quaintance, they,  of  course,  ran  off  into  the  bush; 
whereupon,  according  to  the  captain,  who  was  my  in- 
formant, the  police  put  spurs  to  their  horses,  rode  down 
one  man,  whom  they  tied  up  on  the  spot,  and  began  fir- 
ing on  the  others  with  their  Martinis.  Walking  some 
distance  in  advance  of  the  wagon,  I  found  at  a  wayside 
hut  this  noble  band  of  Englishmen,  who  seemed  to 
think  they  were  doing  valiant  service  for  their  Queen 
and  country  by  attacking  four  harmless  and  defenseless 
Kaffirs  on  the  public  road.  The  night  was  very  cold, 
but  there,  outside,  sat  the  Mashona,  secured  by  an  ox 


272 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


reim  tied  round  his  waist ;  while  inside  was  the  captain, 
swearing  roundly  at  his  men  for  their  bad  shooting, 
who  in  turn  excused  themselves  on  the  ground  that  it 
was  dark. 

I  could  not  make  out  why  he  wanted  to  murder  the 
natives,  and  asked  for  an  explanation.  "  Why,"  he  re- 
plied, "they  were  about  no  good,  or  they  would  not 
have  run  away  when  they  saw  us  coming.    Bring  in 

the  fellow,  interpreter,  and  ask  him  what  the  made 

him  run." 

"  G-reat  chief,  I  was  frightened." 

"  Where  were  you  going ! " 

"  Going  to  my  kraal." 

"  Where  did  you  get  the  two  oxen ! " 
I  don't  know  where  they  came  from.  I  only  over- 
took the  boys  who  were  driving  them  a  short  time  be- 
fore we  saw  you  coming.  But  I  believe  the  cattle  had 
strayed  and  were  being  brought  back  to  their  owner, 
the  chief  of  staat." 

"  Take  the  fellow  outside,  and  tie  him  till  morning, 
when  we'll  see  about  it ;  meantime,  let  me  have  a  glass 
of  whiskey." 

Such  scenes  are  of  too  frequent  occurrence,  and  could 
English  people  but  know  the  treatment  received  by  na- 
tives at  the  hands  of  some  of  their  filibustering  repre- 
sentatives in  Africa,  a  more  humane  system  of  extend- 
ing British  rule  would  speedily  be  inaugurated,  while 
some  who  aspire  to  be  classed  among  the  heroes  of  the 
Dark  Continent  would  be  tried  at  the  Old  Bailey  for 
their  lives.  The  Magoma  case  has  yet  to  be  brought  to 
light,  but  "  murder  will  out." 

We  reached  Umtali  on  the  morning  of  June  30th^  and 


AT  UMTALI.  273 

learned  that  a  few  weeks  ago  a  wagon  road  had  been 
cleared  as  far  as  Massikassi.  I  decided  to  defer  the 
carrier  question  until  we  get  there,  and  proceed  thither 
with  my  stuff  by  wagon.  We  stayed  only  one  night  in 
this  village,  which  differs  but  little  from  such  places  as 
Macloutsie  or  Fort  A^ictoria.  It  is  situated  at  the  base 
of  a  large  kopjie,  and  consists  of  some  two  dozen  wattle- 
and-daub  huts,  every  third  one  devoted  to  the  sale  of 
drink. 

When  within  some  six  miles  of  Umtali,  and  after 
crossing  the  Odzi,  we  noticed  a  very  marked  change  in 
the  nature  of  the  soil :  no  more  sandy  wastes,  but  rich 
red  earth  or  black  loam.  The  solitary  kopjies  gave 
place  to  long  ranges  of  mountains  forming  the  great 
Manica  gold-belt,  and,  judging  from  the  general  con- 
figuration of  the  country,  it  bids  fair  for  farming,  al- 
though the  uncertainty  of  the  seasons  must  always 
remain  a  great  drawback  to  large  investments  in  that 
direction. 

The  evening  of  July  1st  saw  us  trekking  toward 
Massikassi.  For  the  first  two  treks  the  road  was  fairly 
good,  as  we  were  mostly  on  the  grassy  plains ;  but  the 
balance  of  the  way  was  simply  execrable,  the  trees  hav- 
ing been  very  carelessly  cut  down,  leaving  stumps  two 
feet  high.  Every  five  hundred  yards  there  are  ravines 
from  thirty  to  fifty  feet  deep,  with  sides  so  abrupt  that 
though  the  brakes  were  screwed  home  until  the  wheels 
stood  still,  the  wagon  would  plunge  forward  with  a  rush, 
shrouded  in  a  cloud  of  dust,  at  a  speed  that  threatened 
to  crush  the  oxen  and  end  in  a  general  smash-up,  and 
giving  rise  to  the  fear  that  we  should  soon  have  noth- 
ing but  the  pieces  to  collect  of  both  oxen  and  wagon. 


274 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


The  next  four  miles  was  over  rough  veldt,  among 
great  rocks  and  sluits,  where  no  attempt  had  been  made 
to  prepare  the  way  for  wagons.  We  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing Massikassi  safely  on  the  morning  of  the  4th.  This 
place  commands  a  view  approaching  the  nearest  to 
Scottish  Highland  scenery  we  have  struck  in  Africa. 
To  the  west,  long  ranges  of  hills  well  clad  with  vegeta- 
tion, while  eastward  widens  out  before  us  the  beautiful 
valley  of  the  Rovue,  bounded  on  the  north  and  south 
by  mountains  rising  to  the  height  of  six  thousand  feet. 
We  find  here,  besides  the  Portuguese  village,  where 
Captain  Andrada  and  Commandant  Battencourt  with 
several  sub-officers  are  quartered,  the  camp  of  the  Eng- 
lish Boundary  Commission,  consisting  of  eight  officers 
belonging  to  engineer  regiments.  Most  of  them  are 
absent  surveying,  and  not  likely  to  return  before  Satur- 
day. This  handicaps  me,  as  they,  with  the  Portuguese 
Commission,  have  taken  all  the  available  carriers  that 
can  be  depended  upon  for  long  journeys,  such  as  In- 
hambanes  and  Sof alas ;  natives  of  Manica  are  cowardly, 
and  would  be  almost  certain  to  desert  on  the  road. 

I  passed  the  interim  in  submitting  to  a  couple  of 
sharp  attacks  of  fever,  and  when  well  enough  accepted 
an  invitation  to  dine  with  the  commcindant,  whom  I 
found  very  genial  and  hospitable.  I  spent  one  evening 
at  the  old  Portuguese  fort,  about  a  mile  down  the  val- 
ley, now  in  charge  of  the  Companha  Mozambique,  who 
retain  an  Englishman,  a  Frenchman,  and  a  Portuguese 
as  their  representatives.  It  is  some  seventy  years  since 
the  Portuguese  built  this  fort,  and  their  right  or  claim 
to  this  part  of  Manicaland  was  never  disputed  until  a 
few  months  ago,  when  the  British  South  African  Com- 


AMONG  THE  PORTUGUESE. 


275 


pany  took  it  into  tlioir  heads  to  bring  down  a  lot  of 
police  with  a  Maxim  gun  and  a  seven-pounder.  They 
posted  themselves  on  a  neighboring  kopjie  and  men- 
aced the  fort.  The  result  was  a  most  unjustifiable  fight, 
in  which  the  Portuguese  were  defeated  with  heavy  loss, 
their  fort  captured  by  the  company's  men,  and  by  them 
looted.  This  high-handed  proceeding,  however,  was 
severely  censured  by  the  English  home  government, 
and  the  company  withdrew.  The  fort  was  repaired, 
and  is  now  the  very  picture  of  peace  and  tranquillity. 
A  fine  garden  occupies  the  open  space  in  the  interior, 
and  bananas  are  flourishing  all  around  the  stores  and 
dwellings. 

On  Saturday  the  commission  returned,  and  the  Por- 
tuguese captain  most  readily  expressed  his  willingness 
to  assist  me  with  men,  and  by  Tuesday  morning  had 
collected  seventeen  carriers,  lending  me  at  the  same 
time  several  of  his  own  servants  to  act  as  guides.  This 
is  a  small  caravan,  but  quite  sufficient  for  my  few 
belongings  now.  The  difficulty  of  obtaining  carriers 
seemed  so  serious  at  Salisbury,  that  I,  having  become 
inured  to  exposure  and  hardship,  decided  to  minimize 
my  outfit.  Finding  that  porters  can  now  be  paid  in  gold 
or  rupees,  I  disposed  of  a  quantity  of  my  cloth  and  bulky 
trade  goods,  also  my  tent,  so  that  I  have  again  to  sleep 
in  the  open,  as  on  the  journey  from  Zambesi  to  Pa- 
lachwe,  where  the  halts  at  night  were  too  brief  to  allow 
of  pitching  the  tent. 

As  eight  of  the  porters  are  natives  of  Grorongoza,  a 
country  through  which  we  have  to  pass,  it  was  thought 
advisable  to  pay  their  capitao  (headman),  but  to  retain 
him  at  Massikassi  as  a  hostage  to  insure  their  abiding 


276 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


by  their  contract ;  otherwise  they  would  probably  leave 
me  in  the  lurch  when  near  their  homes.  The  others 
were  natives  of  Inhambane  and  Delagoa  Bay.  There 
is  one  very  satisfactory  item  to  be  noted  here,  namely, 
that  none  of  these  men  are  slaves  in  the  ordinary  ac-' 
ceptation  of  the  term,  except  in  so  far  as  they  are  the 
vassals  of  their  respective  chiefs.  They  come  of  their 
own  free  will  from  the  coast  and  distant  parts  of  the 
■north  country  to  seek  employment  of  the  Portuguese, 
and  are  well  paid  for  their  labor.  For  the  three  weeks' 
journey  to  Sena  they  each  get  thirty  shillings  in  gold, 
and  I  find  them  in  food  besides. 

On  the  13th  of  July  we  set  out  from  Massikassi,  tak- 
ing a  course  due  east,  although  our  most  direct  route 
would  have  been  through  the  Humbi  country  to  the 
west  of  the  Grorongoza  Mountain.  But  we  were  under 
the  necessity  of  giving  that  country  a  wide  berth,  on 
account  of  its  disturbed  condition,  arising  from  the 
recent  war  between  Goveia  and  Makombe,  in  which 
the  former  was  killed,  with  a  great  number  of  his  fol- 
lowers. The  natives  being  so  elated  over  their  victory, 
we  were  advised  not  to  attempt  going  through,  but 
to  cross  the  Pungwe  Eiver  at  Makaka,  a  hundred  and 
eight  miles  eastward. 

The  path  was  narrow  and  led  through  tall  grass  for 
most  of  the  day.  We  made  but  sixteen  miles  and 
camped  for  the  night.  Our  order  of  march  here  differs 
somewhat  from  that  on  the  West  Coast.  The  Bihean 
makes  an  early  start  and  travels  until  about  noon,  when 
he  halts  for  the  day  and  proceeds  to  prepare  his  hut, 
with  as  much  care  as  if  he  intended  to  take  up  his 
abode  there  for  a  year  instead  of  a  night.    Here  it  is 


BARTERING  FOR  FOOD. 


277 


seven  o'clock  before  they  get  on  the  track,  and  they 
go  on  for  ten  miles  and  stop  for  breakfast ;  two  hours' 
rest,  and  another  ten  miles'  march  before  sundown. 
There  is  no  hut-building,  nor  even  a  skerm,  but  good 
fires  are  kept  up  all  night.  This  is  essential  to  our 
safety,  for  all  this  region  abounds  in  lions.  No  sooner 
do  we  compose  ourselves  for  the  night,  wrapped  in  our 
blankets,  three  or  four  of  us  stretched  out  around  each 
fire,  than  from  every  point  of  the  compass  we  hear  the 
hungry  roar  of  these  surly  brutes  as  they  seem  to  invite 
each  other  to  combine  in  an  attack  upon  us,  every  min- 
ute coming  nearer,  until  within  two  or  three  hundred 
yards,  when  they  lie  down  and  wait  their  chance  should 
our  fires  burn  low,  kindly  reminding  us  of  their  prox- 
imity by  a  continued  repetition  of  low  grunts.  But  in 
spite  of  this  we  are  too  tired  to  keep  awake  all  night 
watching ;  a  certain  number  of  men  are  therefore  told 
off  for  sentry  duty  and  to  keep  up  the  fires,  each  man 
taking  a  spell  of  two  hours  during  the  night. 

On  the  second  day  we  made  a  long  march  of  twenty- 
five  miles,  as  water  was  scarce,  but  were  rewarded  for 
this  extra  exertion  when  we  happened  at  last  upon  a 
clear  running  brook. 

By  noon  on  the  16th  we  arrived  at  Chimoia,  where  ' 
we  had  to  lose  a  couple  of  hours  buying  meal  and  rice 
for  the  men.  In  the  west  rations  are  served  by  an 
allowance  of  calico  for  a  certain  number  of  days ;  but 
here  we  have  all  the  bother  of  trading  with  the  natives, 
as  cloth  is  not  in  so  much  demand,  and  they  want  a  - 
variety  of  goods  for  their  food-stuffs — red  white-eye 
beads  chiefly,  salt,  handkerchiefs,  etc.  A  good  deal  of 
rice  is  grown  in  these  districts,  but  very  little  else 


278 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


except  Kaffir-corn.  It  is  not  that  the  soil  is  poor,  as 
in  most  parts  of  Africa  where  we  have  been,  but  the 
native  seems  to  have  no  ambition  in  the  victuahng  line 
beyond  mush,  and  a  bit  of  game,  when  he  can  get  it. 
Manicaland  is  a  rich  country,  not  only  in  gold,  but  in 
the  capabilities  of  the  soil;  any  tropical  products  would 
thrive  well  if  given  a  chance. 

There  is  no  very  distinctive  tribal  mark  among  the 
Manicas  and  coast  natives,  except  that  the  men  have 
the  lobe  of  both  ears  slit  and  in  the  hole  carry  their 
snuff-box — generally  the  empty  shell  of  a  Martini  car- 
tridge. The  women  have  the  upper  lip  pierced,  and 
insert  a  lead  or  silver  plug  with  a  flat  round  top  on  the 
outside,  like  a  reversed  collar-stud. 

We  are  now  in  the  tsetse-fly  belt.  We  passed  seven- 
teen wagons  to-day  that  have  been  left  to  their  fate  on 
the  veldt  for  several  months — the  result  of  a  rash  vent- 
ure on  the  part  of  a  company  to  transport  goods  from 
Beira  up  into  the  interior.  The  ^'fly"  killed  off  the 
oxen,  numbering  some  four  hundred  and  valued  at 
seven  pounds  each,  and  so  the  wagons,  of  an  average 
value  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds,  had  to  be 
abandoned.  Most  of  them  are  now  so  dilapidated 
and  scorched  by  bush  fires  that  it  would  not  pay  to 
remove  them. 

Mr.  Bent,  in  describing  his  journey  to  the  coast  east 
of  the  point  where  we  turned  northward,  writes : 

"  Ample  evidence  of  the  ravages  of  this  venomous  in- 
sect (the  tsetse)  are  visible  on  the  roadside.  Dozens  of 
wagons  lie  rotting  in  the  veldt,  bearing  melancholy  tes- 
timony to  the  failure  of  Messrs.  Heaney  and  Johnson's 
pioneer  scheme.    Everywhere  lie  the  bleaching  bones 


ABANDONED  IVAGONS. 


279 


of  the  oxen  which  dragged  them ;  and  at  Mandigo 
is  an  abandoned  hnt  filled  to  overflowing  with  the 
skins  of  these  animals,  awaiting  the  further  develop- 
ment of  the  Pungwe  traffic  to  be  converted  into  ropes, 
or  reimSj  as  they  are  usually  termed  in  South  Africa. 
Fully  two  thousand  pounds'  worth  of  wagons,  we  cal- 
culated, as  we  passed  by  on  one  day's  march,  lies  in  the 
veldt,  ghost-like,  as  after  a  battle. 

"  Then  there  are  Scotch  carts  of  more  or  less  value, 
and  a  handsome  Cape  cart,  which  Mr.  Rhodes  had  to 
abandon  on  his  way  up  to  Mashonaland,  containing  in 
the  box-seat  a  bottle  labeled  ^Anti-fly  Mixture' — a 
parody  on  the  situation. 

"  But  the  greatest  parody  of  all  is  at  Sarmento  itself, 
a  Portuguese  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the  Pungwe. 
Here  two  handsome  coaches,  made  expressly  in  New 
Hampshire,  in  America,  for  the  occasion,  lie  deserted 
near  the  Portuguese  huts.  They  are  richly  painted 
with  arabesques  and  pictures  on  the  panels.  '  Pungwe 
Route  to  Mashonaland '  is  written  thereon  in  letters  of 
gold.  The  comfortable  cushions  inside  are  being  moth- 
eaten,  and  the  approaching  rains  will  complete  the  ruin 
of  these  handsome  but  ill-fated  vehicles.  Meanwhile 
the  Portuguese  stand  by  and  laugh  at  the  discomfiture 
of  their  British  rivals  in  the  thirst  for  gold.  Even  the 
signboard,  with  ^  To  Mashonaland,'  is  in  its  place.  And 
all  this  elaborate  preparation  for  the  pioneer  route  has 
been  rendered  abortive  by  that  venomous  little  insect, 
the  tsetse-fly.  In  his  zeal  to  carry  out  his  contract. 
Major  Johnson  committed  a  great  error  and  entailed  an 
enormous  amount  of  misery  when  he  telegraphed  that 
the  Pungwe  route  was  open,  and  circulated  advertise- 


280 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ments  to  that  effect,  giving  dates  and  hours  which  were 
never  carried  out. 

"  Heaps  of  people,  for  the  most  part  poor  and  impe- 
cunious, flocked  to  this  entrance  to  their  Eldorado,  and, 
after  waiting  without  anything,  and  in  abject  misery 
at  Chimoia,  had  to  return  to  Mapanda,  where  the  con- 
dition of  affairs  was  desperate — people  dying  of  fever, 
the  doctor  himself  ill,  and  no  food,  for  the  Portuguese 
governor  of  Neves  Ferreira,- Colonel  Madera,  boycotted 
the  English  and  forbade  the  natives  to  bring  them  pro- 
visions. Assistance  was  brought  to  them  by  Dr.  Todd, 
of  the  Magicienne ;  but  many  died,  and  the  rest,  disap- 
pointed and  penniless,  had  to  return  to  Cape  Town." 

We  reached  Makaka  early  on  the  18th,  having  aver- 
aged twenty  miles  a  day  from  Massikassi.  We  give 
the  boys  a  rest,  and  cross  the  Pungwe  to-morrow. 
While  waiting  at  this  village,  the  fact  is  demonstrated 
to  us  that  "  woman "  is  by  no  means  to  be  considered 
the  "weaker  vessel"  here.  On  expressing  surprise  at 
the  absence  of  the  usual  lounging  men  around  the 
kraal,  while  a  whole  crowd  of  women  were  busy  stamp- 
ing corn  and  singing  their  liveliest  songs,  the  reason  was 
given  that  this  being  the  harvest  time,  the  women  had 
their  hands  full  of  work ;  and  that  as  the  men  persisted 
in  idling  all  the  morning,  and  constantly  getting  in  the 
way  of  their  wives,  the  latter  seized  sticks  and  quickly 
made  a  clearance  of  the  male  sex,  who  had  sense  enough 
to  offer  no  resistance,  seeing  they  were  very  much  in  the 
minority,  but  were  impressed  with  the  parting  order, 
that  they  were  not  to  return  without  permission. 

The  river  Pungwe  here  is  about  a  hundred  yards 
broad,  and  presents  a  beautiful  view  from  this  point 


A  PRIMITIVE  DUG-OUT. 


281 


looking  down  the  stream,  its  many  windings  being  seen 
to  a  great  distance  shimmering  in  the  sunshine,  and  the 
overhanging  trees  reflected  on  the  bosom  of  its  clear, 
cool  waters.  We  crossed  early  in  the  morning  in  a 
very  primitive  dug-out  with  the  outlines  of  a  boom- 
erang, the  original  shape  of  the  tree,  and  proceeded  on 
our  journey  toward  Sena,  taking  a  course  a  little  east 
of  north. 

We  stopped  at  Mabute  for  breakfast,  and  I  had  a 
long  palaver  with  the  natives,  who  were  exceedingly 
polit.e  and  respectful,  the  headman  bringing  me  a  pres- 
ent of  meal  and  a  fowl — a  plain  proof  that  white  men  are 
rare  in  these  parts.  Our  faces  and  arms  get  pretty  well 
scratched  by  the  grass,  which  becomes  still  more  rank 
and  tall,  in  some  places  reaching  a  height  of  fourteen 
feet.  The  luxuriousness  of  vegetation  here  is  remark- 
able. The  immense  fields  of  corn  now  being  reaped 
speak  volumes,  not  only  for  the  land,  but  for  the  dili- 
gence and  industry  of  the  women,  who  are,  with  few 
exceptions,  of  good  physique,  and  possess  by  no  means 
unpleasant  features  but  for  the  disfigurement  of  the 
upper  lip.  They  contrast  as  widely  with  the  poor 
Mashonas  as  do  their  respective  countries. 

A  sort  of  light  bamboo  grows  in  great  abundance  all 
along  our  route,  valued  highly  by  wagon-drivers  in  the 
Colony  as  whip-sticks.  I  was  surprised  to  see,  while 
passing  through  a  kraal,  a  small  boy  spinning  a  rough 
top,  whipping  it  up  with  great  vim  by  means  of  a  bark- 
whip.  I  wondered  if  the  idea  was  original  with  him. 
I  find  the  natives  we  meet  on  the  path  or  in  the  villages 
very  civil.  The  women  make  an  awkward  attempt  at  a 
curtsey  as  we  pass,  while  the  men  salute  by  performing 


282 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


a  kind  of  double-sliiiffle  Tvitli  tlieir  feet,  readily  answer- 
ing any  question,  and  frequently  accompanying  us  long 
distances  to  guide  us  tlirougli  tlie  intricacies  of  the 
numerous  tracks. 

They  prepare  a  very  superior  bark-cloth  by  cutting 
from  a  sort  of  fig  tree  large  felt-like  masses  of  the  bark. 
After  soaking  it  in  water  for  a  short  time  it  is  ham- 
mered with  wooden  mallets  on  a  smooth  log.  When  it 
is  beaten  out  quite  thin  and  all  the  holes  neatly  mended, 
by  the  aid  of  a  very  primitive  native  needle  and  fine 
fiber,  it  is  again  beaten  with  a  mallet  on  which  lines 
are  cut,  giving  the  finished  cloth  a  ribbed  appearance. 
If  the  portion  of  the  tree  from  which  this  layer  of 
bark  has  been  taken  is  bound  up  tightly  with  plantain- 
fiber,  a  new  bark  forms  in  process  of  time. 

Since  crossing  the  Pungwe  three  days  ago  we  have 
been  gradually  ascending ;  but  now,  following  the  base 
of  the  Gorongoza  Mountain,  our  highest  altitude  has 
been  reached,  and  we  now  begin  to  descend,  keeping  to 
the  ridge  of  the  tableland.  Water  is  plentiful,  and  we 
come  across  villages  every  few  miles.  On  the  plains  to 
the  east,  buffalo,  eland,  and  zebra  are  to  be  found  in 
great  numbers;  but  they  keep  clear  of  the  hills. 

On  the  evening  of  the  21st  we  crossed  the  Kulumadzi, 
flowing  southeast.  The  stream  was  low  enough  to  per- 
mit of  our  wading  it,  its  width  being  about  forty  yards. 
But  the  scenery  every  way  we  looked  was  bewitching 
— the  water  coming  noisily  down  from  the  hills,  rush- 
ing and  dashing  among  the  numerous  big  boulders  that 
occupy  the  river-bed.  We  linger  to  rest  for  a  while  on 
the  bank,  so  refreshing  and  cool  it  seems  after  the  long 
day's  exhausting  march.    We  have  just  emerged  from 


GORONGOZA  MOUNTAIN. 


283 


the  gloomy  somberness  of  the  primeval  forest,  through 
which  we  have  been  tramping  for  over  five  hours,  and 
where  the  rays  of  the  sun  could  scarcely  pierce  through 
the  dense  and  tangled  herbage — the  gigantic  cable-like 
creepers  festooned  among  the  branches,  parasites  of 
enormous  growth  clinging  to  the  ancient  timbers,  where 
stillness  reigned  unbroken  by  even  the  twitter  of  a  bird 
or  the  sough  of  the  wind.  . 

Next  day  our  path  lay  through  a  more  open  country, 
and  the  soil  is  no  longer  black  loam,  but  changed  to 
rough,  marl,  the  sm^ill  pebbles  causing  the  carriers  to 
complain  much  of  sore  feet.  The  grass  and  under- 
growth are  shorter,  and  the  general  aspect  of  the  coun- 
try is  not  so  pleasing  as  it  has  been  for  the  past  few 
days.  Gorongoza  Mountain  is  now  behind  us,  and  we 
have  on  our  left  the  hills  of  Masara. 

We  crossed  the  river  Nymandura  about  9  a.m.,  and 
halted  for  breakfast  by  the  beautiful  Munedeze.  Four 
hours  more  brought  us  to  Goveia,  a  Portuguese  village 
much  the  worse  for  wear.  The  resident  representatives 
of  Portugal  are  three  men  of  middle  age,  the  tallest  not 
exceeding  five  feet  four  inches  in  height,  and  all  of  a 
very  despairing  appearance,  with  a  sort  of  calm  and 
resigned  expression  on  their  faces,  the  result,  I  sup- 
pose, of  eight  or  nine  years  doing  nothing.  They  kindly 
proffered  us  the  use  of  one  of  the  five  large  mud  houses, 
once  official  residences,  but  for  years  unoccupied,  and 
crumbling  back  to  mother  earth.  As  some  of  our  car- 
riers belong  to  this  district  we  gave  all  a  day  off,  con- 
tinuing our  journey  on  the  24th. 

We  have  had  no  water  for  ten  miles,  and  then  only 
a  small  stagnant  pool ;  nine  miles  more,  and  we  obtained 


284 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


a  little  by  digging  in  a  dry  river-bed.  We  saw  at  a 
long  distance  large  herds  of  antelopes.  Everywhere 
there  is  evidence  of  plenty  of  game,  including  elephant; 
but  as  the  season  for  grass  fires  has  begun,  the  larger 
animals  have  been  driven  east.  Another  month  the 
young  grass  will  be  springing,  and  they  will  return ; 
so  that  here  we  have  one  of  the  finest  hunting-grounds 
in  Africa,  within  ten  days  of  the  sea. 

We  passed  several  small  villages  during  the  day,  but 
all  deserted,  owing,  probably,  to  the  scarcity  of  water, 
or  perhaps  the  late  war.  Soon  after  starting  on  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  we  crossed  several  small  streams, 
after  which  we  found  no  water  for  twelve  miles,  and 
then  only  by  digging.  On  camping  the  same  operation 
had  to  be  repeated  before  we  could  get  enough  of  the 
precious  fluid  to  prepare  supper.  At  this  place  I  ob- 
served some  women  dyeing  white  calico  black,  by  means 
of  a  jet-black  juice  exuded  from  the  pods  of  a  tree; 
and,  judging  from  the  cloth  worn  by  the  people,  that 
had  been  submitted  to  the  process,  the  dye  seems  to  be 
permanent. 

July  26th.  Having  slept  last  night  in  a  hollow,  we 
found  ourselves  surrounded  by  a  thick  fog  this  morn- 
ing, and  by  noon  fever  came  on.  I  stopped  at  a  village 
to  buy  meal  for  the  carriers.  Again  a  headman  brought 
out  a  fine  large  basketful  of  meal  as  a  present  to  the 
white  man.  I  gave  him  a  jackknife  in  return.  The 
afternoon  march  was  very  hard;  what  with  the  hot 
fever  and  not  a  drop  of  water  for  fourteen  miles,  it  was 
no  play.  The  men  were  crying  out  for  meat,  but  ex- 
haustion compelling  me  to  lie  down  by  the  wayside 
every  mile  or  two,  I  was  quite  unable  to  go  into  the 


SPONTANEOUS  COMBUSTION. 


285 


bush  after  game.  Fortunately,  however,  I  sighted  a 
fine  buck  grazmg  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from 
the  path.  On  raismg  my  rifle  my  hand  shook  so  much 
that  I  had  to  lean  against  a  tree  to  steady  myself. 
I  fired  one  shot  and  dropped  him,  but  had  to  leave 
the  carcass  in  charge  of  my  gun-carrier  until  the  men 
should  come  up,  for  my  mouth  and  throat  felt  as  though 
it  would  be  a  case  of  spontaneous  combustion  if  I  did 
not  reach  water  soon.  At  last  we  arrived  at  a  village 
where  a  native  took  me  to  a  hole,  five  feet  deep,  dug  in 
the  sand,  with  about  half  a  gallon  of  water  in  it — not 
very  nice,  but  never  more  appreciated. 

The  27th  was  another  thirsty  day,  thirteen  dry  miles, 
but  the  scenery  magnificent.  With  the  exception  of  the 
first  twenty-five  miles  after  leaving  Goveia — of  rough, 
stony,  rather  sterile  country— the  rest  of  the  way  has 
been  a  perfect  panorama  of  beauty,  with  numerous 
fine  palms  and  gigantic  baobabs.  The  latter  peculiar 
tree,  to  which  nature  has  been  so  liberal  in  the  mat- 
ter of  trunk  and  so  stingy  in  allowance  of  branches  or 
foliage,  yields  large  pods  containing  a  substance  tasting 
like  cream  of  tartar,  and  is  often  called  the  tartar  tree. 
But  the  tree  that  appeared  most  striking  was  a  kind 
of  large  acacia,  called  by  the  natives  "  njerenjere."  Its 
bark  is  very  smooth,  bright  sea-green  in  color,  looking 
for  all  the  world  as  if  it  had  been  treated  to  a  coat  of 
"  Aspinall's  enamel "  from  the  roots  to  the  tips  of  the 
smallest  branches.  It  is  used  by  the  river  men  for 
making  paddles,  and  by  all  natives  for  producing  fire. 
Almost  every  man  carries  a  piece  of  this  wood  about 
with  him,  and  when  he  wants  a  blaze  he  bores  a  hole 
in  the  chunk,  in  which  he  places  a  little  tinder  or 


286 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


specially  prepared  bark,  and  then,  inserting  a  straight 
stick,  which  he  holds  against  his  head,  by  an  ingenious 
arrangement  of  string  he  twirls  the  stick  and  in  a  short 
time  smoke  is  seen  to  rise. 

About  sundown  we  reached  the  village  of  Inyama- 
cambe,  a  daughter  of  the  late  Goveia.  The  chief  brought 
us  some  lemons  and  a  basket  of  lovely  sweet  oranges, 
the  first  we  have  seen  in  our  journey.  I  noticed  with 
great  pleasure  a  clump  of  lordly  mango  trees,  all  in  full 
bloom,  making  me  think  of  Jamaica,  as  these  were  the 
first  I  had  seen  since  leaving  home. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


FROM  SEXA  TO  BLAXTYEE. 

Eiver  craft. — On  the  Shire. — The  Wissmann  expedition. — Landed  at  Chi- 
romo. — Trouble  with  Her  Majesty's  customs. — ''What  is  to-day?" — The 
chief  of  Mbewe. — A  defenseless  position. — BlantjTe. — Might  is  right. — 
Misguided  men. — Boycotted. — Wild  hallucinations. — Coui'ting  a  martyi-'s 
death. — Dr.  Ellinwood  speaks. — Abortive  asceticism. — Faith  cui-e. — 
Cheap  missionaries. — Poor  economy, — A  foreign  tramp. 

TO  my  intense  satisfaction  we  reached  Sena  by  fonr 
o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  July  28th.  Five 
months  ago  I  left  the  Zambesi  at  Kazungula,  and  now 
see  its  broad  waters  again,  but  a  good  deal  nearer  home, 
thank  God !  It  has  taken  fifteen  days'  actual  marching 
to  come  from  Massikassi,  a  distance  of  fully  three  hun- 
dred miles,  giving  us  an  average  of  twenty  miles  a  day. 
I  am  not  much  the  worse,  except  that  my  feet  and  legs 
are  badly  swollen ;  but  my  next  stage,  I  trust,  will  be 
accomplished  by  boat,  and  they  will  get  a  rest. 

Sena  has  e^adently  been  a  verj^  important  Portuguese 
settlement  in  days  gone  by.  It  has  a  large,  strongly 
built  stone  fort,  impregnable  to  hostile  natives ;  the  fine 
old  arched  gateway,  the  stones  of  which  are  time-worn, 
is  an  interesting  specimen  of  ancient  masonry.  The 
town  itself  is  very  scattered,  and  consists  of  the  sub- 
stantial dwellings  of  some  sixty  Portuguese  inhabi- 
tants, and  several  trading  stores  conducted  by  Banyans, 

287 


288 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


a  Dutchman^  and  some  half-breed  Portuguese,  while  at 
some  distance  back  the  black  population  have  their 
huts. 

The  governor  very  hospitably  invited  me  to  stay  at 
his  house  until  arrangements  should  be  made  for  the 
river  journey,  which  invitation  I  gladly  accepted,  and 
must  own  that  he  could  not  possibly  have  shown  me 
more  kindness.  Although  unable  to  speak  much  Eng- 
lish, and  I  less  Portuguese,  we  got  along  well,  and  I 
found  him  one  of  the  genial,  good-natured  sort.  He 
has  a  number  of  slaves  in  his  household,  and,  so  far  as 
I  could  see,  treated  them  with  much  more  consideration 
than  some  people  do  their  servants. 

We  have  seen  natives  both  here  and  at  Massikassi  in 
stocks  and  goree-sticks,  although  not  chained  together 
in  gangs,  as  described  by  Sir  John  Willoughby;  nor 
were  they  ordinary  slaves  or  laborers,  but  convicts  un- 
dergoing sentence  for  gross  crimes — poisoning,  assassi- 
nation, incendiarism,  etc. 

I  met  the  commandant,  Capitao  Mor,  and  other  offi- 
cials of  the  government  at  a  dinner-party,  and  the  fol- 
lowing evening  went  out  to  a  very  pretty  place  called 
Inhascereira,  situated  about  five  miles  to  the  northwest 
of  Sena,  and  right  on  the  bank  of  the  Zambesi.  A 
judge  and  a  doctor  reside  here  during  a  few  months  of 
the  year.    They  are  both  very  bright  little  men. 

Now  for  Nyasa!  I  chartered  for  ten  days  a  river 
craft,  thirty  feet  long,  six  feet  beam,  and  two  and  a  half 
feet  deep,  with  a  comfortable  little  cabin  in  the  after- 
part.  My  crew  consisted  of  twelve  mariner os  (paddlers), 
d^patrao  (steersman),  and  a  Jcadamo  (pilot)  at  the  bow. 
Sunday  being  so  near,  I  dismissed  them  with  instruc- 


THE  IVISSMANN  EXPEDITION. 


289 


tions  to  be  at  the  boat  on  Monday  morning.  Most  of 
them  put  in  an  appearance  at  the  stated  time,  but  my 
patrao  had  got  drunk  on  his  advanced  pay,  and  a  soldier 
was  sent  by  the  governor  to  wake  him  up  by  an  appli- 
cation of  the  palmator}^  (a  fiat  disk  of  wood  with  eight- 
een inches  of  handle).  By  9  a.m.  he  was  sobered  a  bit, 
and  we  were  afloat  on  the  Zambesi  again. 

Two  hours'  rowing  and  we  turned  into  the  Ziwiziwi, 
progressing  slowly  on  account  of  the  many  sandbanks. 
I  shot  two  crocodiles  with  explosive  bullets,  hitting 
them  right  behind  the  shoulder  as  they  lay  on  the  sand. 
One  measured  fifteen  feet  six  inches,  the  other  fourteen 
feet.  By  10  a.m.  on  Tuesday  morning  we  came  out  on 
the  Shire  River,  and  headed  upstream.  There  is  ap- 
parently little  difference  in  size  between  the  Shire  and 
the  Zambesi ;  the  current  of  the  former,  however,  is  the 
stronger.  There  is  nothing  to  be  seen  of  much  interest, 
except  the  crocodiles,  some  of  them  monsters ;  a  hippo 
now  and  again  shows  himself,  but  they  are  fewer  here 
now  than  in  former  years,  the  steamers  having  driven 
them  higher  up.  For  two  days  the  land  on  either  side 
has  been  low  and  swampy,  with  reedy  banks  and  very 
malarious. 

August  3d.  Reaching  Port  Herald,  I  was  invited  to 
breakfast  by  the  administration  agent,  from  whom  I 
learned  that  small-pox  had  broken  out  among  the 
men  of  the  Grerman  expedition,  under  Major  Wissmann. 
They  are  now  camped  a  short  distance  down  the  river, 
where  they  will  probably  be  delayed  for  some  time,  the 
river  at  present  being  very  low,  and  their  barges,  etc., 
drawing  too  much  water.  I  understand  that  the  pur- 
pose of  this  party  is  the  placing  of  a  steamer  on  Lake 


290 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Tanganyika,  for  the  suppression  of  the  slave-trade. 
Whatever  may  be  the  protective  influences  expected 
from  the  presence  of  a  steamer  on  the  lake,  it  would 
seem  that  the  measures  to  be  adopted  in  getting  it  there 
are  not  likely  to  be  pacific  toward  the  natives.  Yester- 
day a  gentleman  expressed  to  an  officer  of  the  expedi- 
tion a  hope  that  the  natives  en  route  might  be  found 
friendly.  "  Friendly !  "  was  the  sneering  rejoinder.  "  I 
much  23refer  them  hostile,  for  then  we  fight  them  and 
take  what  we  want ;  whereas  when  they  are  friendly  we 
have  to  pay  for  everything.  I  sincerely  hope  we  shall 
have  some  fighting  soon,  as  I  want  to  get  my  men  in 
training." 

Soon  after  leaving  Port  Herald  we  passed  the  river 
cargo-steamer  "James  Stephenson,"  fast  on  a  sandbank. 
The  steamers,  I  understand,  find  great  difficulty  this 
year  in  getting  up  and  down,  on  account  of  the  shal- 
lows and  snags,  making  navigation  almost  impossible. 
In  another  twenty-four  hours  we  arrived  at  Chiromo,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Euo,  on  the  confines  of  Xyasaland, 
having  accomplished  the  journey  from  Sena — a  hun- 
dred miles — in  four  and  a  half  days.  I  have  had  no 
trouble  with  the  men ;  and  this  has  been  my  experience 
with  all  the  porters  or  boatmen  employed  from  the 
Portuguese.  They  are  well  trained,  hard-working,  and 
obedient. 

And  now  we  are  in  British  territory,  I  believe ;  but 
the  knowledge  of  this  fact  is  fraught  with  no  thrill  of 
joy  to  me  after  what  I  have  seen  of  so-called  British 
rule  and  influence  in  Africa.  I  had  no  sooner  stepped 
ashore  than  I  was  accosted  by  an  official  of  Her  Majes- 
ty's customs  with  "  Any  firearms,  sir ! "    "  Yes,"  I  re- 


BRITISH  GUNBOATS. 


291 


plied:  "an  ^Express'  rifle,  a  fowling-piece,  and  a  re- 
volver." "  Must  leave  them  all  here  until  you  obtain  a 
permit  from  the  administrator,  H.  H.  Johnston."  "  And 
where  might  that  gentleman  be  found  ? "  "  In  the  Shire 
Highlands,  five  or  six  days  from  here." 

To  wait  twelve  days  for  this  permit  was  out  of  the 
question ;  yet  I  was  not  very  keen  about  venturing  on 
the  next  stage  of  my  journey  unarmed,  through  a  coun- 
try abounding  in  leopards  and  lions — even  within  half 
a  mile  of  where  we  were  standing.  A  law  to  prohibit 
the  sale  of  guns  or  gunpowder  to  natives  I  can  quite 
understand ;  but  to  take  from  a  lone  traveler  his  only 
means  of  defense  in  Africa,  without  the  option  of  ob- 
taining a  license,  is  a  proceeding  that  even  the  Portu- 
guese would  be  ashamed  of.  I  protested,  but  the  offi- 
cial was  immovable,  and  there  was  nothing  for  it  but 
to  submit. 

Chiromo  is  an  important  government  station,  having 
a  custom-house,  post-office,  etc.  The  English  occupy 
the  north  and  the  Portuguese  the  south  bank  of  the 
Ruo.  The  two  British  gunboats  are  here,  H.  M.  SS. 
"Herald"  and  "Mosquito."  I  spent  a  pleasant  even- 
ing on  board  the  "  Herald  "  by  invitation  of  Comman- 
der Robertson,  meeting  the  officers  and  doctors  of  both 
vessels. 

I  sought  out  Mr.  Simpson,  a  Scotch  trader,  who  has 
a  large  store  and  has  done  an  extensive  business  here 
among  the  natives  for  many  years.  He  gave  me  a 
hearty  welcome,  and  pressed  me  to  stay  with  him  a 
couple  of  days,  promising  to  get  me  carriers  for  the 
overland  journey  to  Blantyre.  Mr.  Simpson  complains 
bitterly — and  I  fear  not  without  reason — of  the  admin- 


292 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


istration  of  British  Central  Africa  (now  incorporated 
with  the  British  South  African  Company)  by  Her  Ma- 
jesty's commissioner,  who  exercises  his  authority  in 
such  a  peremptory  and  bullying  manner,  through  his 
Zanzibari  and  Sikhs,  that  a  great  deal  of  discontent  is 
rapidly  springing  up  among  the  chiefs,  who  declare 
that  they  have  never  given  over  their  country  to  the 
English.  A  tax  of  six  shillings  per  annum  is  levied  by 
the  British  upon  every  male  native  over  fourteen  years 
of  age,  while  the  Portuguese  demand  only  one  rupee, 
resulting  in  some  of  the  natives  going  over  to  the  latter, 
while  others  are  threatening  resistance  to  the  unreason- 
able and  unjust  demands  made  upon  them,  from  which 
they  derive  no  return  or  benefit  whatever. 

It  struck  me  as  being  rather  peculiar  that  I  should 
have  been  required  to  take  out  a  license  in  order  to  pass 
through  Mashonaland ;  and  now  on  coming  again  into 
British  possessions,  so  called,  to  be  deprived  of  my  rifle, 
in  a  country  where  it  is  absolutely  indispensable,  not 
only  in  procuring  meat,  but  as  a  means  of  defense 
against  wild  animals,  strikes  me  as  being  more  peculiar 
still.  Only  yesterday  Mr.  Simpson  came  across  a  lion 
and  lioness  with  two  cubs,  within  a  mile  of  camp. 

Saturday,  August  6th.  There  has  been  a  great  deal 
of  disputing  on  the  station  as  to  the  day  of  the  week, 
some  maintaining  that  it  is  Friday,  others  Saturday.  I 
settled  the  matter  in  this  way:  having  purchased  at 
Sena  a  small  basket  of  eggs  for  use  on  the  journey, 
and  knowing  how  many  I  had  at  starting  and  the  num- 
ber used  each  day,  the  arithmetical  problem  resulted  in 
favor  of  Saturday. 

On  Tuesday  I  got  carriers  together  and  started  at 


THE  CHIEF  OF  MBEIVE. 


293 


11  A.M.  overland  for  Katunga.  Much  of  the  journey  was 
very  rough,  on  account  of  the  long  grass  and  thorn- 
bush.  We  passed  Mona  about  2  p.m.,  and  arrived  at 
Masanjeras  a  little  before  five  in  the  evening,  making 
eighteen  miles.  I  found  a  white  man  in  a  good-sized 
house,  which  he  had  built  for  the  purpose  of  occasional 
trading.  He  kindly  offered  me  a  shelter  for  the  night. 
Next  morning  we  continued  our  journey  through  the 
fearful  grass.  The  rugged  footpath  was  very  narrow, 
winding  along  the  base  of  the  Tyolo  Mountain  all  the 
way.  We  sighted  large  herds  of  buffalo  and  water- 
buck.  Palm  trees  are  abundant  on  the  plain,  and  some 
are  very  handsome.  This  valley  is  thickly  populated. 
We  passed  many  villages  during  the  day,  the  largest, 
Mbewe,  close  to  the  Shire.  The  chief,  Maquire,  quite 
a  young  man,  came  out  to  greet  us,  with  some  two  hun- 
dred natives  at  his  heels;  he  bade  me  good-evening 
very  cheerfully  in  English.  I  afterward  learned  that 
he  had  been  for  some  time  at  the  Blantyre  mission, 
and  bears  a  good  reputation  among  the  white  people  of 
the  country. 

The  sun  was  setting,  and  we  pressed  on  to  seek  a 
camping-place  for  the  night ;  we  pitched  on  a  spot  clear 
of  grass,  right  on  the  river-bank.  Mosquitoes  attacked 
us  in  hordes,  which,  with  the  frequent  barking  of  leop- 
ards, the  low  growl  of  a  lion  in  our  near  vicinity,  the 
constant  snorting  of  hippos,  and  the  eerie  conscious- 
ness of  our  defenseless  position,  permitted  no  sleep  (for 
which  I  have  to  thank  the  unfair  exactions  of  official- 
dom)-. At  break  of  day  we  continued  to  follow  the 
river-bank,  passing  a  village  about  every  twenty  min- 
utes, and  reached  Katunga  about  9  a.m.    I  turned  into 


294 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


tlie  premises  of  the  African  Lakes  Company,  where 
Mr.  Baird  is  manager,  who  sent  ont  to  get  carriers  for 
Blantyre ;  and,  as  by  the  time  they  were  all  collected  it 
was  late  in  the  afternoon,  I  decided  to  stay  until  next 
morning.  We  started  early,  crossing  the  plain  toward 
the  hills,  commencing  the  ascent  about  eight  o'clock. 
We  had  stiff  climbing  for  a  couple  of  hours,  then  the 
road,  dug  out  of  the  mountain-side,  was  tolerably  level 
and  in  good  order.  We  got  some  fine  glimpses  of  the 
Shire  Valley  from  our  high  altitude.  By  3  p.m.  we 
passed  the  fortress-like  store  of  the  African  Lakes  Com- 
pany at  Mandala,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  more  were  in 
Blant}T.'e. 

I  met  Dr.  Scott,  who  took  me  to  the  Manse,  where  I 
was  introduced  to  the  missionary  in  charge  {pro  tern.), 
Eev.  A.  Heatherwick.  The  magnificent  church,  the 
substantial  and  home-like  residence,  the  crowds  of  boys 
and  girls  being  trained  by  the  mission,  have  all  been 
so  well  and  frequently  described  that  a  detailed  sketch 
of  them  by  me  is  unnecessary.  I  learned  that  the  com- 
pany's steamer,  "Domira,"  would  not  be  down  to  the 
south  end  of  Nyasa  for  some  ten  days.  This  is  disap- 
pointing, but  cannot  be  helped,  as  I  must  go  and  see 
the  stations  on  the  famous  lake  before  returning  home ; 
besides,  doubtless  letters  are  awaiting  me  at  Bandawe, 
which  I  must  get  somehow.  Were  it  not  that  I  longed 
with  an  intense  yearning  to  get  back  home,  I  could  put 
in  a  few  weeks  at  Blantyre  very  happily ;  and  I  much 
require  the  rest  this  beautiful  spot  and  pleasant  sur- 
roundings afford. 

I  visited  Mandala,  headquarters  of  the  African  Lakes 
Company,  where  a  large  trade  is  carried  on  with  the 


BLANTYRE. 


295 


natives,  and  tlirougli  whom  supplies  are  forwarded  to 
branch  stations,  and  to  the  various  missionaries  on  the 
hike.  Bad  accounts  of  the  disturbed  condition  of  the 
country  on  the  east  and  north  of  Nyasa  arrived ;  news 
of  a  fresh  outbreak  was  daily  expected,  the  hostility  of 
the  Arabs  being  very  bitter,  and  they  are  all  too  suc- 
cessful in  winning  over  the  numerous  chiefs  to  their 
side.  To  this  may  be  added,  as  a  reason  for  discontent, 
the  maladministration  of  Her  Majesty's  commissioner, 
who  seems  to  possess  no  principle  and  no  policy  in 
directing  the  affairs  of  the  country,  except  the  very 
questionable  one  of  "  might  is  right." 

On  Sunday  I  attended  the  various  services  in  the 
church,  the  congregation  consisting  chiefly  of  the  two 
hundred  native  boys  and  girls  under  instruction  and 
boarded  on  the  mission  premises.  The  form  of  ser- 
vice, though  nominally  that  of  the  Established  Church 
of  Scotland,  contrasted  strangely  with  the  simplicity 
to  which  I  had  been  accustomed  in  my  boyhood  in 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland.  It  closely  resembled  the 
more  ceremonious  ritual  of  the  Church  of  England — 
the  surpliced  clergyman,  the  processional  white-robed 
choir,  intoned  prayers,  turning  to  the  east  during  the 
repetition  of  the  Creed,  tapers  on  the  altar,  reading- 
desk  on  one  side  of  the  chancel  and  pulpit  on  the  other, 
etc.  But  perhaps  this  is  the  form  countenanced  by  the 
Church  of  Scotland  in  modern  times.  Dr.  Scott  con- 
ducted service  in  the  morning,  Mr.  Heather  wick  in  the 
evening;  both  of  them  are  evidently  zealous  and  de- 
voted men.  The  former  is  indefatigable  in  his  attend- 
ance on  the  sick  of  the  district,  including  all  classes, 
whether  belonging  to  the  mission  or  not.    No  journey 


296 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


is  too  long,  no  hour  unreasonable  for  him,  provided  tlie 
call  comes  from  a  sufferer. 

The  grounds  around  the  mission  are  very  fine ;  much 
has  been  done  in  planting  trees  of  eucalyptus,  cypress, 
fir,  etc.,  by  a  Scotch  gardener  who  has  been  here  for 
many  years.  I  visited  the  little  cemetery  near  by,  the 
last  resting-place  of  some  twenty-three  white  people 
who  have  died  here,  in  almost  every  instance  from 
fever.  One  grave,  that  of  a  man  named  Henchman, 
suggested  a  terrible  lesson  to  those  fanatics,  now  so 
numerous,  who  have  either  come  or  intend  coming  to 
Africa  as  missionaries  on  the  "  faith  alone  "  plan.  This 
man  came  up  the  river  last  year  with  his  wife  and  two 
children.  Although  warned  again  and  again  not  to 
attempt  traveling  in  Africa  without  some  tangible 
means  of  providing  for  his  family,  his  only  answer 
was  the  stock  phrase,  "  The  Lord  will  provide."  Ar- 
riving at  Blantyre,  he  left  his  family  in  charge  of  the 
missionaries  and  proceeded  to  Angoniland,  where  he 
proposed  to  establish  a  station.  After  a  short  time 
he  retui'ned  to  Blantyre,  and,  taking  his  wife  and  chil- 
di^en  with  him,  set  off  again,  provided  with  but  a  meager 
supply  of  provisions  and  a  very  small  quantity  of  bar- 
ter goods.  A  few  weeks  sufficed  to  open  his  eyes  to 
the  blunder  he  had  committed.  The  natives,  discover- 
ing that  he  was  unable  to  pay  his  way,  coolly  boycotted 
him,  refusing  even  to  supply  them  with  food,  until  they 
were  brought  to  the  last  extremes  of  distress.  He  per- 
sisted in  his  sufferings ;  but  his  wife,  ha^dng  common 
sense  as  well  as  faith,  dispatched  a  letter  to  the  African 
Lakes  Company  begging  for  men  to  bring  them  back. 
This  was  promptly  done,  the  Blantyre  mission  taking 


MISGUIDED  MEN. 


297 


them  in  and  providing  for  them  again.  The  bubble  of 
Henchman's  dream  regarding  a  mission  supported  by 
"  faith  alone  "  having  burst,  it  was  now  either  work  or 
want.  He  sought  and  obtained  employment  at  road- 
making,  under  the  administration.  But  a  few  months 
of  tent  life  and  exposure  to  the  sun  were  too  much  for 
him ;  repeated  attacks  of  fever  so  disabled  him  that  he 
had  to  seek  Blantyre  once  more,  this  time  too  late.  In 
three  days  he  died,  leaving  his  wife  and  children  alone 
in  Central  Africa,  among  strangers. 

One  might  imagine  that  such  an  example  would  deter 
others  from  hazarding  their  lives  in  foolhardy  attempts 
to  prove  that  the  present  system  of  missions  in  Africa 
— receiving  their  support  from  home — is  all  a  mistake. 
But  no !  Such  men  are  too  obstinate  to  be  led  by  any 
counsel  other  than  their  own  conceit.  Only  this  morn- 
ing, August  20th,  I  have  been  to  see  a  delicate  little 
shadow  of  a  girl,  ten  years  of  age,  apparently  dying  of 
fever,  in  a  hut  near  Mandala.  She  was  brought  here 
by  her  father,  a  Mr.  Booth,  who,  with  a  companion 
named  Mangin,  arrived  a  week  ago,  with  the  intention, 
as  they  say,  of  commencing  a  plan  of  operations  in 
mission  work,  which,  with  the  aid  of  hundreds  of  the 
same  mind  as  themselves,  who  are  to  follow  soon,  is  to 
result  in  the  evangelization  of  all  Africa  during  the 
present  century.  They  are  provisioned  for  only  a  few 
months,  and  almost  penniless.  I  have  advised  Booth, 
for  the  sake  of  his  poor  little  motherless  child,  if  for 
nothing  else,  to  abandon  his  mad  theory  and  go  home ; 
but  he  laughed  at  the  bare  idea,  and  pitied  my  lack  of 
faith,  assuring  me  of  his  confidence  that  he  has  a  great 
work  here  to  perform.    To  all  appearance  he  is  quite 


298 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


prepared  to  sacrifice  liis  only  child  to  the  hallucination 
that  possesses  him. 

August  26th.  I  have  just  returned  from  the  mission 
cemetery,  where  we  have  laid  the  body  of  the  young 
man  Mangin,  already  referred  to,  by  the  side  of  poor 
Henchman.  The  door  to  his  peculiar  mission  did  not 
open  up  before  him  as  readily  as  he  had  anticipated, 
and  necessity  compelled  him  to  accept  employment  in 
a  brick-field.  But  three  days'  fever,  and  his  career  is 
closed.  By  this  sad  event  Booth's  faith  has  received  a 
rude  shock ;  but  will  it  bring  him  to  his  senses !  Oh 
no !  Like  the  Zulu  savage,  who  courts  death  in  the 
battlefield,  or  the  Hindoo  fanatic,  who  throws  himself 
beneath  the  wheels  of  the  Juggernaut  car,  he  believes 
that  such  a  sacrifice  will  merit  a  great  reward  in  the 
world  to  come. 

In  missionary  speeches  we  have  heard  such  expres- 
sions as,  "The  survivors  will  pass  over  the  slain  in  the 
trenches  and  take  the  African  fortress  for  the  Lord."  * 
This  sounds  very  brave,  but  it  is  questionable  if  the 
cause  of  missions  might  not  be  better  served  by  the 
adoption  of  a  course  less  tragic;  and  if,  instead  of 
courting  a  martyr's  death  by  following  the  impulses  of 
ill-balanced  minds,  these  enthusiasts  would  but  submit 
to  be  guided  by  the  counsel  and  practical  experience  of 
godly  men,  who  for  years  have  adopted  measures  sug- 
gested by  the  knowledge  they  have  acquired  of  the 
country  and  its  people,  for  the  effective  promulgation 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  The  time  has  arrived  when 
this  subject  demands  of  all  who  are  seriously  interested 
in  Africa's  missions  a  full,  free,  and  dispassionate  dis- 
cussion. 

*  Krapt. 


FAITH  AND  IVORKS, 


299 


The  Rev.  Dr.  EUinwoodj  in  The  Missionary  Revietv  of 
the  World  for  December,  1890,  speaks  out  so  faithfully 
and  to  the  point  that  we  cannot  refrain  from  giving 
here  a  portion,  at  least,  of  his  able  article : 

"  It  seems  desirable  that  the  foreign  missionary  enter- 
prise shall  be  so  administered  as  to  quicken  the  faith 
and  arouse  the  zeal  of  the  whole  church,  rather  than 
to  encourage  the  idea  that  it  is  to  be  carried  on  by  the 
conspicuous  self-denial  and  self-immolation  of  a  few. 

"  There  is  needed  a  faith  which,  instead  of  dispensing 
with  the  use  of  means,  shall  lead  to  a  great  increase  of 
means ;  which  shall,  on  all  hands,  call  forth  more  pray- 
ing and  more  generous  giving ;  which  shall  inspire  self- 
denial  not  merely  in  some  sickly  swamp  in  Africa,  but 
in  the  wealthy  and  comfortable  Christian  homes  of 
America. 

"  The  world  cannot  be  converted  by  a  few  startling 
object-lessons  in  toil  and  suffering.  We  are  not  en- 
camped before  Philistines,  whom  it  is  God's  purpose  to 
conquer  by  the  faith  and  valor  of  a  few  Davids  while 
the  hosts  of  Israel  simply  stand  still  and  see  the  sal- 
vation of  the  Lord.  Instead  of  a  benefit  there  may  be 
positive  injury  in  such  examples.  They  involve  a  false 
theory  of  Christian  duty;  they  excuse  the  avaricious 
and  ease-loving;  they  seem  to  remove  the  burden  of 
responsibility  from  the  church  as  a  whole.  Not  only 
do  the  missionaries  need  fixed  and  reliable  salaries,  to 
free  them  from  anxiety  and  keep  them  in  health  and 
secure  their  success,  but  the  church  needs  to  pay  these 
salaries.  Its  own  spiritual  life  demands  at  least  that 
small  share  of  the  common  burden,  and  any  theory 
which  maintains  that  a  fixed  support  is  not  necessary 


300 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


for  foreign  missionaries,  and  which  so  far  removes 
responsibility  from  those  who  stay  at  home,  is  a  down- 
right injury  to  the  whole  spiritual  life  of  Christian 
lands,  and  in  the  end  will  retard  the  conversion  of  the 
world  instead  of  hastening  it. 

"  Such  theories  do  harm  upon  the  mission  fields  as 
well  as  at  home.  I  am  aware  that  the  plea  has  been 
made  that  Orientals  are  accustomed  to  associate  habits 
of  self-mortification  with  religion,  and  that  they  will  be 
more  readily  influenced  by  men  who  are  in  a  sense  as- 
cetics ;  but  there  is  another  side  to  this  matter.  Ascet- 
icism has  for  ages  proved  useless  and  abortive,  and 
what  is  now  needed  is  the  plain,  unostentatious,  and 
vigorous  devotion  of  an  alert  and  healthy  Christian 
life.  The  gospel  of  common  sense  is  inwoven  Avith 
the  gospel  of  redemption,  and  where  this  is  wanting 
positive  harm  is  done. 

"  What  are  the  recent  facts  in  this  connection,  and 
what  has  been  their  influence  I  Nine  missionaries  sent 
out  in  connection  with  what  is  known  as  the  '  Kansas 
Movement'  were  landed,  some  months  since,  at  Sierra 
Leone.    None  can  doubt  the  sincerity  of  their  devotion. 

"  They  had  doubtless  been  pained  by  the  criticisms  of 
a  worldly  church  upon  the  '  luxuries  of  foreign  mission- 
aries,' and  they  resolved  to  cast  themselves  on  the  Lord, 
and  without  salary,  and  without  even  medical  care,  de- 
vote themselves  to  the  establishment  of  a  mission  in 
western  Soudan. 

"For  the  sequel  we  refer  the  reader  to  the  statements 
recently  published  by  the  authorities  at  Sierra  Leone. 
The  British  minister  at  Washington  has  lately  trans- 
mitted to  the  Department  of  State  a  letter  from  the 


SELF-EXCUSING  SENTIMENT. 


301 


governor  of  Sierra  Leone,  including  a  report  from  tlie 
colonial  surgeon  at  Freetown  relative  to  the  case  of  the 
nine  American  missionaries  at  that  place.  The  report 
states  that  upon  their  arrival  they  began  to  live  in  na- 
tive fashion,  eating  native  food,  cooking  and  washing 
for  themselves,  and  even  collecting  their  own  fuel  in 
the  rainy  season,  hoping  thus  to  gain  the  confidence  of 
the  natives.  On  the  9th  of  July  two  of  the  party  died, 
both  of  whom  had  been  such  stanch  believers  in  faith 
cure  that  they  had  taken  no  medicine.  Two  days  after, 
a  third  died  of  exhaustion,  from  neglected  fever,  having 
been  ill  for  nine  days.  As  the  fourth  patient  in  the 
list  refused  the  services  of  the  physician,  the  latter  re- 
ported to  the  governor  that  the  missionaries,  by  the 
course  pursued,  had  originated  a  malignant  type  of 
fever,  which  endangered  the  whole  community.  lie 
therefore  quarantined  the  house,  and  advised  that  the 
survivors  of  the  party  be  sent  back  to  America.  Upon 
this  the  patient  consented  to  be  treated. 

"  Nothing  could  possibly  produce  a  more  unfavorable 
impression  upon  a  community  of  foreign  residents,  in 
regard  to  the  w^liole  work  of  missions,  than  an  event  of 
this  kind. 

"  And  public  sentiment  throughout  Christendom  will 
condemn  not  so  much  the  misguided  young  missionaries 
as  that  self -excusing  sentiment  in  the  church  which 
seems  to  call  for  such  sacrifices.  So  long  as  a  mission- 
ary cannot  receive  a  modest  salary  without  being  ex- 
posed to  criticism  by  those  who  ought  to  be  his  cheerful 
supporters ;  so  long  as  there  are  thousands  of  money- 
getting  Christians  who  are  ready  to  say  of  the  faith 
missionary,  ^  There  is  the  man  that  I  believe  in ;  he  is 


302 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


not  after  tlie  loaves  and  fishes ;  lie  is  not  going  to  live 
in  luxury,  etc' — so  long  will  sensitive  young  men  be 
found  who  would  rather  brave  danger,  and  even  death 
itself,  than  to  depend  on  such  grudging  supporters.  At 
Sierra  Leone  starvation  led  to  fever  and  death,  and  by 
all  accounts  came  near  to  breeding  a  pestilence;  yet 
people  will  soon  forget  it,  and  the  plea  of  '  cheap  mis- 
sionaries '  will  be  renewed. 

"  Is  it  quite  sound,  either  as  theology  or  as  fact,  to  as- 
sume that  Grod  intends  a  different  measure  of  faith  and 
a  less  regard  to  means  on  the  foreign  fields  than  in  the 
work  at  home!  Is  there  any  more  reason  to  suppose 
that  a  fortuitous  support  can  be  relied  upon  for  mis- 
sionaries than  for  our  own  pastors  ?  The  whole  theory 
of  ^ faith  missions'  proves  too  much;  for,  unless  it  be 
assumed  that  Grod  has  two  different  economies  for  the 
work  of  the  church,  then  every  department  and  every 
interest  ought  to  be  conducted  upon  trust,  and  all  sala- 
ries, all  pledges,  all  contracts,  should  be  dispensed  with. 

"The  intervention  of  broad  oceans  does  not  change 
the  general  laws  of  Christian  service  nor  invalidate 
anywhere  the  divinely  authorized  principle  that  Hhe 
laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.' 

"  Nay,  a  guaranteed  support  is  even  more  indispensa- 
ble on  the  foreign  field  than  at  home.  If  one  is  to  carry 
economy  to  the  verge  of  starvation  anywhere  in  Christ's 
service,  a  savage  community  in  a  malarious  country  is 
the  very  last  place  for  the  experiment.  If  the  ministry 
cannot  be  self-supported  in  this  country,  where  they 
are  surrounded  by  friends  and  abundant  resources  of 
every  kind  and  a  great  variety  of  occupations  which 
open  before  them,  how  much  less  in  an  African  com- 


POOR  ECONOMY. 


303 


munity,  wliere  labor  of  every  kind  can  be  secured  for 
a  pittance,  where  few  comforts  of  life  can  be  found  at 
the  best,  where  no  business  enterprise  presents  itself 
as  a  possibility,  and  where  any  missionary,  undertaking 
to  live  as  the  natives  live,  must  be  almost  certain  of 
sickness  and  death. 

"  The  worst  of  all  in  these  rash  experiments  is  the 
sending  out  of  married  men,  with  the  increased  hazards 
that  must  come  to  a  family.  If  single  men  were  dis- 
posed to  take  such  risks  alone,  as  an  explorer  would 
venture  into  an  unknown  region,  the  case  would  be 
somewhat  less  serious;  though  no  explorer  ever  pro- 
ceeds without  a  thorough  outfit  of  supplies  and  the 
means  of  preserving  health. 

"  It  may  be  safe  to  assume  that  no  man  has  a  right 
to  expose  a  young  wife  to  the  perils  of  such  a  situation, 
subject  as  she  must  be  to  the  incidents  of  married  life, 
and  with  all  the  additional  burdens  and  trials  which  a 
woman  must  encounter.  ... 

"  About  a  year  ago  a  letter  was  received  from  a  young 
missionary" who  felt  that  he  must  yield  to  popular  criti- 
cism and  live  on  a  much  smaller  salary  than  that  which 
was  assigned  to  him,  which  was  about  seven  hundred 
dollars.  He  proposed  to  dissolve  his  connection  with 
the  board  and  throw  himself  for  support  upon  the  stu- 
dents of  one  of  our  colleges.  I  urged  him  to  consider 
carefully  the  subject,  since,  irrespective  of  the  question 
of  amount  in  salary,  it  would  tend  to  dissever  the  stu- 
dents' movement  from  the  regular  organized  boards  of 
the  different  denominations,  which  would  be  a  calamity. 
Many  months  passed  before  a  reply  came,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  informed  me  that  he  had  tried  the  experi- 


304 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ment  thoroughly  of  living  on  half  salary,  native  food 
and  in  native  houses,  and  had  given  it  up. 

'^He  had  tried  honestly  and  earnestly  to  commend 
himself  to  the  people,  who,  as  he  sui3posed,  would  be 
influenced  by  one  who  came  nearer  to  their  ideas  of 
what  a  religious  man  should  be.  But  he  found  he  was 
only  despised,  and  that  he  really  made  no  impression 
for  good.  He  lived  too  well  to  pass  for  a  fakir,  and  not 
well  enough  to  claim  respect  as  a  missionary.  He  was 
neither  one  thing  nor  the  other.  By  the  Hindoo  com- 
munity he  was  looked  upon  as  a  foreign  tramp.  He 
had  made  a  conscientious  and  heroic  effort,  and  his 
experience  should  inspire  the  young  men  of  our  coun- 
try with  zeal,  coupled  with  just  views  of  the  missionary 
work." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FROM  NYASA  TO  CHINDE. 


Bush  fires. — A  strong  current  and  head  wind. — Myriads  of  red  ants. — 
Tampans. — On  the  back  of  a  liippo. — Lake  Xyasa. — Livingstonia. — A 
storm  on  the  lake. — Anchored  at  Bandawe. — The  Free  Church  Mission. 
— ''Black  ivory." — "Longed  to  enslave  them." — Xot  soliciting  commis- 
eration.— Ungrateful. — Lip  "improvers." — '' MuaAi  "  ordeal. — Fertile 
hills  of  Angoniland. — Liberty  of  conscience. — Baobab  Island. — A  choral 
service. — Return  to  BlantjTe. — Bound  for  Chinde. — The  Lidian  Ocean. 


.X  the  28tli  news  arrived  that  the  steamship  "  Do- 


\y  mira"  is  iinable,  on  account  of  shallows,  to  come 
farther  down  the  river  than  Mponda,  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  lake,  where  she  is  now  at  anchor.  This 
necessitates  a  tedious  journey  of  several  days'  pulling 
hard  against  the  stream ;  but  in  company  with  the  cap- 
tain, in  whose  boat  I  will  make  the  trip,  we  started 
early  this  morning  for  Matope,  a  distance  of  thirty-five 
miles.  There  is  nothing  very  interesting  on  the  road ; 
once  away  from  the  vicinity  of  such  places  as  Blantyre, 
Zomba,  or  the  Melangi  Hills,  it  requires  a  party  of  a 
very  sanguine  temperament  to  see  the  beauties  of  the 
Shire  Highlands.  The  ordinary  traveler  sees  only  the 
drooping  and  sapless  foliage  of  the  sun-stricken  and 
stunted  trees,  surrounded  by  tall  wiry  grass;  while  at 
this  season  the  atmosphere  is  thick  with  smoke  from 
the  bush  fires  that  annually  sweep  over  the  whole  coun- 
try, leaving  it  for  a  time  a  blackened  waste. 


305 


306 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Every  few  miles  we  come  upon  these  bush  fires  blaz- 
ing furiously  on  both  sides  of  the  path ;  but  we  make 
a  run  for  it,  and  get  through  with  only  a  sniff  of  the 
flames.  The  native  system  of  cultivation  is  respon- 
sible, in  a  great  measure,  for  the  wintry  aspect  much 
of  the  landscape  presents,  particularly  where  there  is 
a  large  population.  They  shift  to  a  fresh  spot  of 
land  every  second  or  third  year,  denuding  the  larger 
trees  of  their  branches  and  felling  the  smaller  ones 
three  feet  from  the  ground,  leaving  the  brush  to  dry 
and  wither,  when  it  is  gathered  into  heaps  before  the 
rainy  season  and  burned.  The  next  process  is  simply 
making  a  hole  by  a  stroke  or  two  of  the  hoe,  dropping 
in  a  few  grains  of  maize,  covering  them  up  with  an- 
other stroke,  and  so  on,  until  the  field  is  sown  out. 
They  see  no  good  in  planting  bananas,  coffee,  cotton  or 
fruit  trees,  as  they  are  seldom  long  enough  in  one  place 
to  reap  crops  that  require  years  to  mature. 

The  present  almost  prohibitive  freights  charged  by 
river  steamers  from  the  coast  to  Katun  ga,  and  vice 
versa,  must  seriously  militate  against  the  rapid  agricul- 
tural development  of  the  Shire  Highlands,  as  the  high 
rates  must  leave  but  a  small  margin  to  the  growers 
who  wish  to  export  cotton,  coffee,  etc.  In  the  case  of 
some  products,  such  as  sugar,  it  would  cost  more  to 
transport  to  Chinde  than  it  would  realize  in  the  Lon- 
don market.  The  construction  of  a  railway,  as  far  as 
Ruo  at  least,  is  the  only  remedy ;  for,  even  if  the  charges 
were  less  by  water,  navigation  on  the  Shire  gets  more 
difficult  every  year.  The  river  has  never  been  known 
as  low  as  it  is  now,  while  the  sandbanks  are  constantly 


MYRIADS  OF  RED  ANTS. 


307 


changing,  and  pilots  find  the  channels  of  one  week  the 
shallows  of  the  next. 

Next  morning  we  had  our  boat  loaded,  and  started 
up  the  Shire  against  a  strong  current  and  a  head  wind. 
Having  two  sets  of  boatmen,  we  continued  to  move 
along  slowly  but  surely  until  late,  when  we  stopped  for 
the  night.  I  spread  my  bed  under  the  eaves  of  a  na- 
tive hut,  preferring  the  outside  to  the  inside,  as  being 
less  likely  to  encounter  the  disagreeable  kind  of  com- 
pany found  in  these  domiciles  generally.  I  was  just 
becoming  oblivious  to  earthly  things,  when  I  started 
up  with  a  sensation  of  being  tickled  in  the  face  by  a 
number  of  red-hot  needles.  Striking  a  light,  I  found 
myself  besieged  by  myriads  of  ferocious  red  ants.  The 
only  reliable  weapon  of  defense  against  such  an  attack 
is  fire,  and  this  I  wielded  so  effectively  for  half  an  hour, 
that  I  had,  at  last,  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  enemy 
routed  with  great  slaughter,  and  was  able  to  rest  for 
the  balance  of  the  night  in  peace. 

One  species  of  vermin  that  infests  the  native  huts,  in 
addition  to  the  trio  usually  accompanying  squalor  and 
dirt,  is  the  horrible  tampan,  resembling  a  tick  in  size 
and  shape,  but  of  a  dingy  black  color.  Its  bite  is  very 
painful,  and  produces  a  swelling  that  remahis  for  some 
time  after  the  Inirning  sensation  from  the  poison  has 
passed  away,  often  inducing  fever.  In  some  huts  they 
can  be  gathered  up  in  dozens  from  the  earthen  floors, 
and  on  account  of  this  the  traveler  can  seldom  accept 
the  shelter  of  a  native  dwelling..  A  bivouac  even  in 
the  rain  is  preferable  to  the  torture  of  being  bitten  by 
tampans. 


308 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


Next  morning  we  shoved  off  again,  keeping  a  sharp 
lookout  for  the  hippos,  which  keep  bobbing  up  unpleas- 
antly near  our  heavily  laden  boat.  They  seem  more 
ready  to  go  for  intruders  on  their  domain  at  this  sea- 
son, as  many  of  them  are  accompanied  by  their  young, 
some  not  larger  than  an  ordinary  pig,  and  often  seen 
standing  on  the  back  of  their  dam. 

We  reached  Milouries  village  after  midnight.  I 
avoided  the  huts  this  time  by  placing  my  mat  in  the 
open  yard,  to  the  lee  of  a  reed  fence ;  but  a  strong  wind 
with  frequent  showers  of  rain  made  it  anything  but 
comfortable.  Early  in  the  morning  we  moved  out  into 
the  stream  once  more,  determined,  if  possible,  to  reach 
Mponda  without  further  stoppages.  The  boys,  being 
promised  a  fathom  of  cloth  extra  pay,  consented  to  row 
all  night.  This  proved  rather  risky,  as  toward  the 
small  hours  of  the  morning,  when  the  captain  and  my- 
self were  enjoying  "  forty  winks,"  yells  from  the  boat- 
men and  the  sudden  upheaval  of  the  boat  brought  us 
to  our  feet.  "We  felt  sure  that  the  next  minute  would 
find  us  strugghng  in  the  river;  but,  happily,  our  two 
tons  of  cargo  were  not  so  easily  tipped  over,  and  we 
escaped  a  ducking.  It  was  only  a  drowsy  hippo  trying 
to  balance  us  on  its  back,  in  rather  shallow  water. 

About  nine  o'clock  on  Friday  morning  we  entered 
Lake  Pomalombe,  the  oars  stirring  up  the  yellow  mud 
at  every  stroke.  We  crossed  the  lake  in  six  hours,  and 
before  dark  got  alongside  the  "  Domira "  as  she  lay  at 
anchor  in  the  stream  opposite  Mponda.  I  am  sorry 
to  learn  that  she  will  not  sail  for  some  three  days  yet ; 
for  although  she  has  been  lying  here  for  ten  days  al- 
ready, there  is  not  a  single  package  of  her  cargo  on 


FORT  JOHNSON. 


309 


board.  I  find  I  have  four  fellow-passengers,  who  came 
up  the  river  a  few  days  ago ;  three  of  them  are  young 
missionaries — two,  Germans,  for  the  north  end  of  the 
lake,  and  one,  an  Englishman,  for  the  Universities  Mis- 
sion at  Lokomo;  the  fourth  is  one  of  the  company's 
agents.  As  the  passenger  accommodation  is  limited 
to  two  small  bunks,  some  of  us  have  to  shift  on  deck 
as  best  we  can. 

On  the  west  bank  of  the  Shire  the  native  city  of 
Mponda  stretches  out  for  a  great  distance — the  largest 
collection  of  native  huts  we  have  seen  in  Africa.  The 
population  consists  mostly  of  Yaos  and  Nyanges.  The 
only  attempt  at  mission  work  among  them  was  made 
some  years  ago  by  four  Jesuit  priests ;  but  they  found 
the  place  too  unhealthy  to  remain  more  than  a  few 
months,  when  they  retired  from  the  field  and  went  to 
work  at  Tanganyika. 

There  is  but  little  confidence  placed  in  the  professed 
friendship  of  the  chief,  and  he  is  quiet  only  from  fear 
of  the  big  guns  that  look  over  on  him  from  the  oppo- 
site bank  at  Fort  Johnson.  This  fort  has  been  con- 
structed as  the  headquarters  of  the  British  administra- 
tion, and  is  garrisoned  by  about  twenty  Indian  Sikhs 
and  a  few  Zanzibari.  There  is  nothing  very  imposing 
about  the  fort  proper,  it  being  little  better  than  a  low 
bank  of  sand  thrown  up  in  the  form  of  a  square,  and 
surrounded  by  a  ditch. 

We  got  up  steam  at  10.30  a.m.  on  Tuesday,  making 
"Monkey  Bay"  by  sunset,  where  we  dropped  anchor 
for  the  night.  This  is  a  snug  and  pretty  little  harbor, 
with  plenty  of  water,  and  hemmed  in  by  hills  on  all 
sides,  except  the  narrow  entrance.    A  vessel  would  be 


310 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


safe  here  from  almost  any  storm.  Next  morning  we 
were  delayed  for  several  hours  taking  on  a  supply  of 
firewood.  This  completed,  we  started  again,  and  reached 
Cape  McLear  by  noon.  I  went  ashore  to  see  the  Liv- 
ingstonia  mission  station,  where  a  native  teacher  is  in 
charge,  and,  I  am  informed,  doing  a  good  work  among 
the  children  of  the  district.  He  is  a  quiet,  sensible, 
unassuming  young  man,  and  speaks  a  little  English; 
but  for  him,  this  would  be  truly  a  deserted  and  dreary 
spot. 

There  are  several  large  buildings  composing  the  mis- 
sion premises.  These  are  the  results  of  the  early  labors 
of  white  missionaries,  who  were  one  after  another  cut 
off  by  fever,  four  or  five  during  as  many  years,  includ- 
ing the  lamented  Dr.  William  Black,  the  position  of 
whose  grave  is  indicated  in  the  photograph  by  the 
bronze  medallion  and  tablet  riveted  to  the  rock,  at  the 
head — a  loving  .tribute  to  his  memory  from  friends  in 
Scotland.  This  was  sufficient  warning  not  to  persist 
in  occupying  the  station  by  Europeans;  for  though 
planted  in  a  lovely  spot  environed  by  granite  mount- 
ains clad  to  the  summit  with  small  trees,  it  is  but  a 
few  feet  above  the  level  of  the  lake,  hence  a  very  hot- 
bed of  malarial  exhalations.  The  survivors  decided 
to  move  northward  and  transfer  the  mission  center  to 
Bandawe. 

We  left  Cape  McLear  the  same  evening  and  crossed 
the  lake  to  Maganga,  where  we  left  some  letters  and 
packages  for  the  Mvera  missionaries.  The  moon  rose 
bright  and  clear  on  the  placid  waters  as  the  ship's  prow 
turned  out  to  the  deep.  Far  into  the  night  we  sat  up 
enjoying  the  delights  of  a  moonlight  trip  on  N^^asa; 


i 


A  STORM  ON  NY  ASA. 


311 


but  as  ilie  morning  broke  there  was  every  evidence 
that  we  were  soon  to  get  a  taste  of  the  opposite  ex- 
treme. The  sky  became  of  a  dull  leaden  color,  over- 
cast by  dark,  lowering  clouds,  sharp  gusts  of  wind 
increasing  in  frequency  and  force,  until  Nyasa  could 
scarcely  be  recognized  as  the  same  lake  that  only  a 
few  hours  ago  lay  around  us  a  very  picture  of  tran- 
quillity. Now  lashed  into  a  fury,  its  great  waves 
swept  the  decks  and  threatened  to  swamp  our  sturdy 
little  craft  as  she  bravely  headed  to  the  wind,  shipping 
tons  of  water  at  each  dip  of  her  prow.  We  were  com- 
peUed  to  pass  Kotakota  without  calling,  lest  we  might 
be  di'iven  ashore.  Most  of  the  day  the  storm  continued, 
but  toward  evening  the  wind  abated,  subsiding  as  sud- 
denly as  it  had  arisen. 

In  the  afternoon  a  number  of  Atonga  laborers  were 
being  paid  off  previous  to  landing  them  at  one  of  the 
ports  on  the  lake  shore.  One  of  them  was  busy  tying 
up  his  bundle  of  cloth,  and  while  spreading  out  and 
admiring  half  a  yard  of  Turkey-red,  the  wind  whipped 
it  out  of  his  fingers  and  blew  it  overboard.  In  an  in- 
stant the  owner  dropped  his  loin-cloth,  and  over  the 
rails  he  went  with  a  jump,  feet  first  into  the  water. 
As  he  rose  to  the  surface  he  spied  his  precious  two- 
penceworth  on  the  crest  of  a  wave,  and  struck  out 
boldly  until  he  reached  it.  Fortunately  for  him,  there 
were  some  repairs  going  on  in  the  engine-room,  and 
we  were  at  only  half  speed ;  even  then,  by  the  time  he 
turned  round  to  come  back  he  was  half  a  mile  astern. 
The  captain  good-naturedly  put  about  the  ship  and 
picked  him  up. 

By  9  P.M.  Thursday  we  were  anchored  off  Bandawe, 


312 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


and,  late  as  the  hour  was,  went  ashore  in  the  ship's 
boat  to  get  my  letters ;  having  been  fourteen  months 
without  a  single  word  from  home,  I  could  not  wait 
until  morning,  now  that  I  was  so  near.  On  landing, 
we  made  for  the  mission  house,  but  on  reaching  it  I 
was  almost  breathless.  The  cough,  which  during  the 
last  few  days'  rest  on  the  water  had  eased  off  a  little, 
became  aggravated  by  the  short  walk  through  the  deep, 
stiff  black  sand,  and  a  severe  paroxysm  came  on,  so 
that  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  speak.  All  the 
inmates  had  retired  except  Dr.  Elmslie,  who  handed  me 
the  longed-for  package.  But  the  latest  from  Jamaica 
is  dated  December  13, 1891,  so  that  there  is  still  a  blank 
of  nine  months ;  surely  some  of  my  letters  must  have 
gone  astray.  I  trudged  back  to  my  shakedown  on  the 
ship's  deck.  A  high  breeze  was  blowing,  but  the  night 
was  not  cold. 

Next  morning  I  returned  to  Bandawe  Station,  so  as 
to  visit  it  by  daylight.  Dr.  Elmslie  gave  me  a  cordial 
invitation  to  stay  there  until  the  return  of  the  steamer 
from  Karonga,  when  I  purposed  proceeding  to  Lokomo. 
Bandawe  is  situated  on  a  sandy  promontory,  bounded 
on  the  west  by  the  Angoni  Mountains,  about  a  hun- 
dred and  seventy  miles  north  of  Mponda.  The  mission 
premises,  which  are  built  of  brick,  with  grass  roofs, 
form  a  straight  line,  running  north  and  south,  consist- 
ing of  dwellings,  school  or  meeting-house,  carpenter's 
shop,  and  printing-room.  Like  all  other  stations  on 
the  flat  lake  shore,  it  is  far  from  healthy.  The  heat  is 
intense,  and  although  the  soil  is  deep  sand,  within  a 
few  inches  of  the  surface  it  is  quite  moist,  giving 
off  an  unwholesome  vapor  from  the  accumulation  of 


''BLACK  IVORY. 


313 


organic  matter  swept  down  from  the  adjoining  hills 
every  year.  Here,  as  we  have  noted  elsewhere,  the 
missionaries  have  tried  to  grow  almost  every  kind  of 
Enghsh  vegetables,  but  without  success.  They  are 
obliged  to  depend  mainly  on  imported  food-stuffs,  with 
occasional  supplies  of  sweet  potatoes  from  the  hills. 

The  chief  feature  of  the  Bandawe  mission  is  its  large 
day-school.  A  number  of  the  boys  are  boarders,  but 
a  good  many  come  from  the  neighboring  villages  as 
day-scholars.  The  natives  are  now  beginning  to  appre- 
ciate education,  but  it  has  been  a  long,  hard  struggle 
to  attain  even  this ;  for  here,  as  on  the  Zambesi,  many 
abandon  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  after  the  first  week 
or  two,  when  wages  for  "working  book"  is  denied 
them.  But  one  and  all  fully  realize  the  benefits  accru- 
ing from  the  presence  of  the  missionaries  among  them, 
not  only  for  the  medical  aid  they  receive,  but  also 
protection,  as  attacks  from  hostile  tribes  or  the  slave- 
traders  are  now  rare. 

In  reference  to  the  latter,  it  must  be  said  that,  while 
there  can  be  no  question  that  a  very  extensive  traffic 
in  "  black  ivory still  exists  around  Nyasa,  and  while 
it  will  ever  be  the  earnest  purpose  of  every  true  friend 
of  the  African  to  do  all  that  can  be  done  to  stamp  out 
this  fearful  scourge,  we  must  take  care  that  mere  senti- 
ment is  not  permitted  to  control  the  pen  that  reports 
the  doings  of  the  Arabs  and  their  native  allies.  That 
this  is  no  imaginary  danger  is  conclusive  from  facts 
gathered  during  our  sojourn  in  these  regions.  For 
example:  a  leaflet  addressed  to  the  children  of  the 
Free  Church  of  Scotland,  in  the  form  of  a  letter  from 
a  missionary  at  the  north  end  of  the  lake,  headed 


314 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


"  's  Three  Hundred  Slave  Children,"  reads  as 

follows : 

"All  my  little  scholars  at  the  school  are  from  the 
Wankonde  villages— the  very  children  that  the  Arabs 
fought  for  and  longed  to  enslave.  They  are,  every  one 
of  them,  naked  and  helpless.  Grod  has  rescued  them 
from  the  slaver's  cruel  hand,  and  they  look  to  us. 
Could  not  the  children  of  the  Sabbath-schools  at  home 
do  a  little  for  the  three  hundred  naked,  helpless  Wan- 
konde children  whom  we  have  graciously  saved  from 
the  cruel  goree-stick  and  slavery!" 

"\Yhat  these  statements  are  worth  may  be  gathered 
from  the  following  facts.  In  the  first  place,  the  chil- 
dren referred  to  never  icere  slaves,  and  therefore  not 
objects  for  rescue  (even  to  use  his  own  words,  the 
Arabs  only  ^'longed  to  enslave  tliem^^),  but  attend  a 
school  organized  some  years  ago  by  Mr.  Fotheringham. 
Moreover,  they  are  provided  with  both  food  and  lodg- 
ings by  their  parents,  who  in  almost  every  case  live  in 
the  villages  of  the  neighborhood.  Nor  are  they  or  their 
parents  in  any  way  soliciting  commiseration,  seeing 
that  their  lot  is  cast  in  one  of  the  richest  and  most 
productive  parts  of  Nyasaland,  and  that  they  are  ex- 
posed perhaps  less  than  most  tribes  to  Arab  raids, 
protected,  as  they  are,  by  the  guns  on  the  fort  of  the 
African  Lakes  Company. 

What  has  been  the  result  of  this  pathetic  account  of 
slave  rescue!  Why,  the  people  of  Scotland  could  not 
be  deaf  to  such  an  appeal,  and  in  a  brief  space  twelve 
hundred  pounds  were  contributed.  What  has  been 
done  with  it  ?  Nothing !  because  the  object  for  which 
it  was  given  existed  only  on  paper. 


UNGRATEFUL  SLAVES.  315 

Such  policy  on  the  part  of  any  man  is  suicidal  to 
the  cause  he  seeks  to  advance.  There  are  plenty  of 
genuine  and  just  claims  on  the  sympathies  of  the 
benevolent,  without  conjuring  up  such  yarns  as  this. 
Philanthropists  do  not  like  being  sold  any  more  than 
slaves,  and  the  next  call,  though  probably  deserving, 
will  suffer  in  consequence. 

Dr.  Elmslie  had  his  ardor  somewhat  damped  on  the 
question  of  liberating  slaves  last  week.  Hearing  that 
a  slave  caravan  was  passing  through  a  village  a  couple 
of  miles  from  the  station,  three  teachers  with  a  few 
lads  took  their  guns  and  started  off  to  interview  the 
half-breeds  in  charge.  On  the  appearance  of  the  mis- 
sion boys  in  the  camp,  the  supposed  slavers,  suspecting 
that  white  men  were  not  far  off  and  fearing  trouble, 
took  to  their  heels.  Many  of  the  caravan  followed 
suit,  leaving  fifteen  of  their  number,  mostly  women, 
behind.  These  the  teachers  brought  on  to  Bandawe, 
where  comfortable  huts  were  assigned  them  and  plenty 
of  food,  although,  on  the  whole,  they  did  not  appear 
to  have  suffered  much  on  the  march.  The  doctor  sat 
down  forthwith  to  report  the  circumstance  to  the  home 
committee;  but  what  was  his  surprise  next  morning, 
on  visiting  their  huts,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
fuller  information  concerning  them,  to  find  that,  with 
the  exception  of  one  woman  and  her  child,  the  whole 
gang  of  captured  slaves  had  run  away  during  the 
night,  and  returned  to  the  very  people  from  whom 
they  had  been  rescued  the  day  before.  Rather  an  un- 
romantic  termination  to  the  affair.  But  it  teaches  the 
important  lesson  that  we  must  discriminate  between 
slave-trading  and  domestic  slavery. 


316 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


The  wliole  life  of  Central  Africa  is  permeated  witli 
a  system  of  slavery,  whicli  the  natives  themselves  have 
no  desire  to  see  abolished,  although  it  must  come  in 
time.  But  high-handed  measures  will  accomplish  little 
in  this  direction ;  rather  let  force  be  concentrated  to 
arrest  the  cruel  and  bloody  work  of  the  Arabs,  who 
raid  and  capture  slaves  for  gain  only. 

I  succeeded  in  taking  several  photos  of  gi'oups  of 
native  women  who  were  employed  on  the  premises  as 
laborers  in  the  construction  of  a  dwelling-house.  I 
here  give  one  of  these  groups.  Those  in  the  fore- 
ground are  mostly  old  women,  showing  the  deformity 
of  the  features  produced  by  wearing  the  pelele  in  the 
upper  lip.  This  repulsive  custom  is  not  confined  to 
the  old ;  but  no  sooner  was  the  camera  placed  in  posi- 
tion and  my  head  hidden  beneath  the  focusing-cloth, 
than  up  went  the  hands  of  the  younger  women  to  their 
mouths,  and  the  rings,  etc.,  were  whipped  out  quick  as 
a  wink.  The  old  women,  however,  are  less  sensitive, 
and  in  them  this  lip  "  improver  "  reaches  the  maximum 
of  size,  in  some  cases  to  nearly  the  diameter  of  a  nap- 
kin ring ;  and  when  such  attempt  a  smile,  the  contrac- 
tion of  the  risoHal  muscles  throws  the  lip  up  with  a 
jerk,  and  forms  a  circle  round  the  tip  of  their  flat  pug- 
noses  that  peep  through  the  opening,  while  a  row  of 
V-shaped,  cat-like  teeth  is  displayed,  giving  the  wearer 
a  most  ludicrous  appearance. 

The  girls  have  their  lips  pierced  when  very  young. 
A  straw  or  thread  is  inserted  to  keep  the  hole  open ; 
then  a  small  piece  of  bamboo  or  bone,  gradually  increas- 
ing in  size,  until  the  orthodox  ring  can  be  worn.  But 
the  pelele  assumes  many  forms — a  bit  of  ivory,  or  wood 


TATTOOING. 


317 


shaped  like  a  cotton  reel,  or,  what  is  greatly  admired, 
a  piece  of  white  quartz  from  an  inch  to  two  inches  in 
length,  looking  very  much  as  if  they  had  stuck  in  the 
end  of  a  wax  candle. 

The  practice  of  tattooing  the  body  is  usual,  but  with- 
out any  apparent  tribal  pattern  or  design,  as  we  noticed 
among  the  Granguellians,  in  which  district  it  is  quite 
universal,  both  sexes  being  elaborately  tattooed.  The 
Ganguella  tribal  mark  among  the  men  seems  to  be  an 
arrangement  of  four  large  diamonds,  though  other 
forms  are  used  to  adorn  the  main  pattern.  The  women 
tattoo  freely,  but  prefer  lines  across  the  body  to  more 
complicated  figures.  There  are  different  methods  em- 
ployed to  produce  these  decorations.  In  one  the  knife- 
point is  inserted  under  the  cuticle  to  admit  the  char- 
coal, pigment,  or  even,  in  some  instances,  gunpowder ; 
in  others  the  skin  is  merely  scratched  with  the  knife ; 
while  in  a  third  the  usual  plan  of  tattooing  is  followed, 
when  some  sharp-pointed  instrument  is  used  to  prick 
in  the  desired — disfigurement. 

Along  the  shores  of  Nyasa,  as  among  all  the  tribes 
north  of  the  Zambesi,  trial  by  ordeal,  or  the  "  muavi " 
test,  is  practiced  extensively,  and  is  resorted  to,  not 
only  for  the  purpose  of  "  smelling  out "  witchcraft,  or 
to  convict  persons  suspected  of  crime,  but  in  the  most 
trivial  quarrels  is  often  the  arbitrator  for  settlement  of 
the  dispute.  Only  to-day  a  man  came  rushing  into  the 
mission  yard  appealing  to  Dr.  Elmslie  for  help,  as  he 
had  taken  a  long  and  a  strong  pull  from  the  poison- 
gourd.  One  of  his  wives  and  himself  having  had  a 
disagreement,  it  was  mutually  decided  that  they  both 
take  the  test,  which  they  did.    The  wife  infused  the 


318 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


poisonous  decoction  of  bark  and  took  the  first  drink, 
and  immediately  commenced  to  vomit — a  sure  indica- 
tion that  she  was  in  the  right.  But  the  husband  was 
not  so  fortunate,  for,  having  finished  the  potion,  it  did 
not  react  as  he  had  hoped,  and,  fearing  death,  repented 
of  what  he  had  done,  and  made  for  the  mission  house, 
when  a  prompt  emetic  put  him  out  of  danger. 

As  a  rule,  natives  who  are  conscious  of  their  inno- 
cence take  the  test  readily,  as  they  have  the  fullest  con- 
fidence that  the  "  muavi "  will  convict  only  the  guilty. 

When  a  chief  suspects  a  revolutionary  spirit,  or  any 
lack  of  fidelity  on  the  part  of  his  subjects,  the  witch- 
doctor is  dispatched  to  assemble  the  recreant  villagers 
and  organize  a  big  muavi-diinking,  so  as  to  sift  out  the 
traitors.  All  classes  and  both  sexes  are  put  on  their 
trial,  without  respect  of  persons. 

Three  months  ago  a  case  of  this  kind  occurred  a  short 
distance  from  here,  by  order  of  the  chief,  Chikusi.  One 
of  the  Livingstonia  mission  staff  refers  to  it  in  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland  Monthly  : 

"  The  chief  sent  his  singanga  (witch-doctor)  and  the 
royal  ^ muavi'  as  a  trial  of  their  subjection.  That  in 
part  accounted  for  its  importance.  It  seems  that  every- 
body in  the  villages,  men,  women,  and  children  above 
nine  or  ten  years  old — many  of  our  school-children 
among  them — had  drunk  it,  and  that  a  few  from  a  dis- 
tance only  remained  for  Saturday's  diinking.  Seven 
in  all  were  found  dead — cast  out  to  the  vultures — in- 
cluding an  old  white-haired  man  and  wife,  and  the 
headman  of  the  villages,  but  no  children.  Dr.  Henry 
insisted  on  the  burial  of  the  corpses.  Some  seemed 
only  too  willing  to  do  so,  now  that  the  singanga  dare 


BOILING-POT  ORDEAL 


319 


not  interfere.  The  possessions  of  those  who  died  were 
taken  off  to  Tshipolopolo  (the  sub-chief  who  brought 
the  charge  against  the  victims  and  appealed  to  Chikusi 
for  the  trial). 

"  Another  mauvi-drinking  took  place  last  Friday,  at 
which  two  of  our  schoolgirls — little  things  of  ten  or 
eleven  years  old — and  a  woman  died.  The  excuse  was 
the  death  of  a  man  in  their  village." 

Although  this  custom  exists  in  the  Barotse  Yalley, 
the'Marotsi  prefer  to  pour  the  poisonous  decoction 
down  the  throat  of  a  dog  or  a  fowl,  and  judge  of  the 
innocence  or  guilt  of  the  indicted  party  by  the  effect 
the  poison  produces  on  the  animal — vomiting  being  sup- 
posed to  be  proof  positive  of  innocence,  while  purging 
indicates  guilt. 

The  favorite  ordeal  of  this  class  in  the  Barotse  is  that 
of  the  "  boiling-pot."  The  last  that  took  place  at  Lialui 
was  brought  about  by  a  slave  carrying  a  piece  of  raw 
meat  through  Lewanika's  reception-room,  a  few  drops 
of  blood  falhng  on  his  mat.  The  consternation  and 
alarm  of  the  great  man  at  this,  to  him,  an  omen  por- 
tending every  ill,  may  be  imagined,  and  not  a  moment 
was  lost  in  summoning  all  the  sorcerers  and  wise  men 
of  the  capital,  when  it  was  decided  to  try  the  effect  of 
the  "  boiling-pot "  in  shedding  light  on  the  subject. 

The  natives  are  assembled  as  for  the  "muavi"  trial. 
Those  suspected  of  having  evil  designs  against  the 
king  are  singled  out  at  the  instigation  of  the  witch- 
doctor, the  names  of  whom  he  professes  to  read  in  his 
basket  of  tricks.  Of  such  there  may  be  many — twenty, 
thirty,  forty,  or  more — who  are  each  in  turn  required 
to  dip  their  hand  three  times  into  the  boiling  water. 


320 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


If  innocent,  it  is  supposed  that  this  should  have  no 
effect  on  their  skin,  which,  strange  to  say,  is  very  often 
the  case,  especially  on  the  thick  and  shriveled  skin  of 
the  old;  but  with  the  majority  large  blisters  are  pro- 
duced, and  they  are  pronounced  guilty,  and  sentenced 
either  to  be  knob-kerried,  speared,  or  thrown  to  the 
crocodiles. 

Eeturning  to  the  subject  of  mission  stations,  I  think 
it  has  been  demonstrated  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt 
that  only  high  altitudes — as  far  as  possible  from  the 
low-lying  swamps,  or  vaUeys  hemmed  in  by  hills — 
should  be  selected  as  sites.  If  stations  must  be  planted 
on  the  flats,  let  them  be  occupied  only  occasionally  by 
white  men,  and  then  only  during  seasons  of  the  year 
when  the  exhalation  of  malaria  is  least  active.  The 
Angoni  Hills,  for  instance,  have  proved  comparatively 
healthy ;  the  land  is  fertile,  cattle  thrive,  and  much  in 
the  way  of  vegetables,  so  essential  to  the  health  of 
Europeans,  can  be  grown  in  abundance. 

The  Livingstonia  Mission  has  two  stations  in  Ango- 
niland  since  1882 :  ISTju^ni,  where  a  church  has  been 
formed  with  nine  members,  and  Ekwendeni.  There 
are  not  the  same  hindrances  in  East  Central  Africa  to 
Christian  work  as  exist  farther  south  and  west ;  the  in- 
tense darkness  and  gross  ignorance  are  all  over  alike, 
but  the  power  of  the  chiefs  is  not  so  gTeat.  They  exert 
little  or  no  influence  over  the  home-life  of  the  people ; 
nor  is  attendance  on  religious  instruction,  efforts  to  im- 
prove their  condition  or  rise  in  the  scale  of  civilization, 
vetoed  by  autocratic  rulers,  as  in  the  Barotse  or  Mate- 
beleland.  In  a  word,  there  is  liberty  of  conscience. 
This  is  a  point  of  great  importance,  and  a  very  encour- 


LOKOMA. 


321 


aging  augury  for  tlie  future  of  missions  in  the  vast 
regions  bounding  the  beautiful  Nyasa. 

On  Thursday,  September  14th,  the  "Domira"  re- 
turned from  the  north  end,  when  I  learned,  to  my  dis- 
may, that  she  would  have  to  put  up  at  Lokoma  for  re- 
pairs and  go  back  to  Karonga  for  passengers.  This  is 
a  sore  disappointment  to  me,  as  I  shall  miss  the  Octo- 
ber steamer  from  Quilimane,  and  shall  probably  have 
to  wait  a  whole  month  at  the  coast  for  the  November 
maih  But  I  am  helpless  in  the  matter,  for  a  land  jour- 
ney is  not  to  be  thought  of,  owing  to  the  disturbed  con- 
dition of  the  natives  on  both  sides  of  the  lake.  I  got 
on  board,  and  crossed  over  to  Lokoma  early  on  Friday 
morning. 

This  is  an  island  ten  miles  from  the  mainland.  It  is 
about  five  miles  long  and  three  wide,  with  a  population 
of  over  two  thousand  natives,  speaking  the  Chinanji 
language.  There  is  but  little  vegetation  on  the  island 
except  baobabs ;  these  are  numerous,  and  some  of  them 
very  large.  The  soil  is  poor,  as  may  be  said  of  most  of 
the  lake  shore ;  the  only  products  are  sand  and  stones, 
and  a  stunted  species  of  manioc.  Half  a  mile  from  the 
beach  we  find  the  headquarters  of  the  Universities  Mis- 
sion, surrounded  by  several  small  hills,  that  look  as  if 
they  were  formed  of  debris  thrown  up  from  some  big 
excavation. 

The  mission  premises  consist  of  a  number  of  detached 
reed  huts,  the  domiciles  of  the  several  members  of  the 
staff ;  the  church,  also  of  reeds ;  and  a  schoolroom, 
store,  and  boys'  dormitory,  built  of  stone  and  mud. 
Archdeacon  Maples,  well  known  for  his  untiring  energy 
and  devotion  to  mission  work,  and,  withal,  genial,  hos- 


322 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


pitable,  and  kind,  is  in  cliarge  of  the  station.  He  is  as- 
sisted by  some  seven  or  eight  white  workers,  men  and 
women,  and  also  by  several  native  teachers  from  Zanzi- 
bar. The  mission  has  two  small  steamers,  the  "  Charles 
Jansen"and  the  "Beta."  The  former  is  used  chiefly 
for  visiting  the  numerous  villages  along  the  coast,  and 
is  under  the  command  of  the  Rev.  W.  Johnson. 

The  modus  operandi  of  the  service  on  Sunday  morning 
should  satisfy  the  most  exacting  ritualist.  The  church 
is  floored  with  mats,  on  which  the  natives  squat,  pros- 
trating themselves  one  by  one  as  they  come  in.  A 
few  benches  are  placed  near  the  altar  for  the  white  por- 
tion of  the  audience  and  for  the  native  choir,  who  are 
surpliced  in  white  and  cassocked  in  purple.  These  en- 
ter at  the  commencement  of  the  service  in  procession, 
headed  by  a  large  brass  cross  5  the  priests  bring  up  the 
rear,  crossing  and  bowing  themselves  in  front  of  the 
altar  before  taking  their  places.  The  service  is  princi- 
pally choral,  and  the  archdeacon,  being  a  splendid  mu- 
sician, adds  great  efiect  to  the  chanted  liturgy  by  his 
brilliant  execution  on  the  organ.  The  choir-boys  give 
evidence  of  careful  vocal  training,  their  intoning  and 
chanting  being  performed  with  automatic  precision. 

The  congregation  embraces  a  large  membership,  the 
majority  being  women,  who  wear  the  distinguishing 
badge — a  small  cross  round  their  necks;  in  many  in- 
stances, however,  their  fetich  charms  are  not  displaced 
by  this  latter  addition  to  their  adornments. 

I  believe  this  mission  is  considered  a  great  success 
by  the  ritualistic  party.  And  if  advanced  High-Church 
lines  indicate  success,  surely  we  have  it  here.  To  say 
nothing  of  the  full  choral  service,  with  its  priestly 


4 


I 


RETURN  TO  BLANTYRE. 


323 


robes,  prostrations,  and  genuflections,  its  confessional 
and  highly  decorated  altar,  its  crosses,  crucifixes,  etc., 
we  have,  as  indicating  advanced  High-Churchism,  the 
Sunday  afternoon  football  and  cricket  matches,  in 
which  the  clergy  take  active  part. 

Thursday,  21st.  Another  weary  week  of  waiting  for 
the  return  of  the  "Domira";  but  she  is  here  at  last, 
and  by  sunset  we  are  heading  for  Cape  McLear,  and 
in  thirty-six  hours  more  anchored  again  at  Mponda. 
Here  I  left  the  steamer,  and  in  an  open  boat  proceeded 
down  the  Shire.  Going  with  the  current,  we  made 
good  progress,  and  early  on  the  morning  of  Tuesday, 
the  26th,  landed  at  Matope.  Carriers  being  in  readi- 
ness, after  a  hurried  breakfast  we  started  for  Blantyre. 
The  hills  were  stiff  to  climb,  and  the  day  excessively 
hot,  so  that  it  was  far  into  the  night  before  we  reached 
the  mission  station.  Next  day  I  engaged  carriers  to 
take  my  luggage  to  Katunda,  purchased  some  provi- 
sions for  the  road,  and  started  on  Thursday  morning, 
with  many  adieux  to  my  Scotch  friends  at  Blantyre, 
whose  oj^en-hearted  and  unpretentious  kindness  has 
done  so  much  to  restore,  strengthen,  and  cheer  me,  ar- 
riving among  them,  as  I  did,  worn  out,  weary,  and  sick 
from  my  long  journey,  with  its  varied  and  trying  ex- 
periences of  privation  and  difficulties. 

Leaving  Blantyre,  we  set  out  for  the  river.  Coming 
upon  some  water  at  noon,  I  stopped  and  made  a  cup  of 
cocoa ;  but  as  there  was  no  shade  from  the  relentless 
heat  of  the  scorching  sun,  we  delayed  but  a  short  time, 
and  reached  Katunga  at  7  p.m.  I  put  up  at  the  African 
Lake  Company's  station  again  for  the  night,  and  next 
morning  found  the  boat  and  paddlers  I  had  previously 


324 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


engaged  all  ready ;  and  by  nine  o'clock  we  were  afloat, 
bound  for  Chinde.  The  run  of  eleven  days  down  this 
river  was  uneventful,  though  we  called  at  the  "cus- 
toms "  Chiromo,  when  I  got  back  my  firearms,  and  had 
some  good  shooting  on  the  flats.  Eain  fell  heavily  for 
several  days  in  succession,  from  which  I  had  no  pro- 
tection but  a  slight  awning  of  grass  at  the  stern  of  the 
boat,  so  that  everything  got  badly  drenched,  giving  me 
wet  blankets  to  sleep  under  for  four  nights,  and  induc- 
ing a  sharp  turn  of  fever.  But  we  reached  Chinde 
safely  on  the  10th  of  October,  where,  with  what  joy  no 
tongue  can  tell,  I  view  at  last  the  Indian  Ocean,  toward 
which  I  have  been  traveling  these  many  months. 

Having  missed  the  German  mail  for  this  month,  I 
have  secured,  through  the  courtesy  of  Commander  Fin- 
nis,  R.  N.  of  H.  M.  S.  "  Swallow,"  a  passage  on  board  a 
transport  steamer,  now  in  the  river  discharging  cargo 
for  the  lakes,  and  leaving  in  a  few  days  for  Port  Said 
via  Zanzibar. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


A  EETEOSPECT. 

A  smnmary. — Jamaicans. — Missionaries  wanted. — French  mission  stands 
alone. — Testimony  in  favor  of  West  Indian  assistants. — Unoccupied 
fields. — Sparse  population. — Interpreters. — Medical  missions. — Extrava- 
gant waste  of  ability. — Native  doctors. — Conclusion. 

IN  looking  back  over  the  past  eighteen  months  since 
landing  at  Benguela,  and  over  the  thousands  of 
miles  I  have  traversed,  the  question  arises,  How  far 
has  the  purpose  of  my  journey  been  realized? 

So  far  as  my  desire  to  see  and  learn  the  condition 
and  need  of  these  regions  is  concerned,  I  have  been 
gratified  beyond  my  most  sanguine  anticipations;  for 
at  most  I  had  only  expected  to  be  able  to  make  straight 
for  Nyasa  through  the  Katanga  country — after  all,  a 
road  no  longer  unknown,  since  the  remarkable  journey 
of  Mr.  Sharp  and  the  ill-fated  expedition  of  Captain 
Stairs,  both  of  whom  started  almost  simultaneously 
with  myself,  although  from  opposite  directions.  But  I 
have  been  permitted  to  travel  through  the  interesting 
and  but  little  known  Granguella  country  and  the  famous 
Zambesi  Valley ;  to  see  one  of  the  world's  greatest  won- 
ders, the  Victoria  Falls ;  to  taste  the  bitters  of  the  Kala- 
hari Desert ;  to  visit  Bechuanaland  and  render  medical 
aid  to  the  good  chief  Khama  and  his  people  during  the 
fever  epidemic;  to  trek  over  the  desolate  and  dreary 

325 


326 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


wastes  of  Mashon  aland ;  to  watch  the  miners  pegging 
out  their  claims  in  Manicaland ;  and  to  roam  through 
the  beautiful  and  fertile — but  to  the  geographer  almost 
blank — country  of  Gorongoza ;  besides  being  privileged 
to  wander  among  those  places  for  which  the  sympa- 
thies of  the  Christian  world  were  first  enhsted  by  the 
beloved  Livingstone — Lake  Nyasa  and  the  Blantyre 
Highlands. 

Apart  from  this,  I  had  anticipated  testing  the  ques- 
tion how  far  the  services  of  the  Christian  natives  of  the 
West  Indies  might  be  requisitioned  as  aids  in  mission 
work  in  this  vast  continent.  My  hopes  in  this  direc- 
tion were  founded  partly  on  reports  from  those  in  the 
field,  made  public  through  missionary  papers  and  pub- 
lished letters,  and  partly  from  the  fact  that  every  few 
months  there  seemed  to  be  fresh  detachments  going 
out  to  Central  Africa,  some  under  the  auspices  of  soci- 
eties, and  some  not ;  until,  in  common  with  many  oth- 
ers, I  felt  that  if  ever  the  Jamaican  is  to  be  brought 
back  to  benefit  his  fatherland,  it  should  be  now. 

It  is  unnecessary  here  to  repeat  what  has  already 
been  explained  in  the  first  chapter  in  reference  to  the 
six  young  men  who  accompanied  me  for  this  purpose. 
As  to  how  they  journeyed  with  me  to  Cisamba,  where 
four  of  them  remained,  the  other  two  going  as  far  as 
Mangwato,  the  reader  already  knows.  But  when  I  state 
that,  from  the  time  Bihe  on  the  west  was  left  behind 
and  we  arrived  at  Blantyre  on  the  east,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  French  mission  on  the  Zambesi  I  did  not 
come  across  a  single  missionary  laboring  among  natives, 
it  will  be  better  understood  why  I  failed  to  find  places 
for  the  appointment  of  colored  men,  as  all  the  way  I 


JAMAICANS. 


327 


was  looking  for  pioneers  engaged  in  the  work  of  found- 
ing new  stations,  with  whom  there  might  be  possible 
openings  for  colored  assistants,  but  found  them  not. 

This,  of  course,  has  been  a  sore  disappointment  to 
me,  but  has  in  no  way  weakened  my  former  conviction 
that,  provided  white  men  with  sympathy  for,  and  tact 
in  dealing  with,  the  colored  race  are  forthcoming  to 
enter  the  unbroken  and  fallow  fields  of  the  interior,  the 
services  of  the  Jamaicans  in  manual  labor  as  builders, 
planters,  etc.,  would  be  found  invaluable.  In  a  short 
time  their  aptitude  for  acquiring  the  language  would 
fit  them  for  itinerant  evangelists,  while  their  color 
would  give  emphasis  to  their  words  beyond  even  those 
of  the  white  teacher,  for  whom,  as  the  number  of  con- 
cession-hunters and  speculators  increase,  a  marked  prej- 
udice in  the  native  African  mind  grows  stronger  year 
by  year. 

But  why  not  include  the  mission  in  Mangwato  and 
those  of  Mashonaland  with  the  French  mission?  Be- 
cause, although  there  is  a  church  nearly  completed  in 
Khama's  town,  there  was  no  white  missionary  at  the 
time  we  passed  through,  and  the  stations  at  Salisbury 
and  Umtali  are  so  far  intended  only  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  influx  of  gold-seeking  and  mining  Euro- 
peans ;  but  I  have  neither  seen  nor  heard  of  any  effort 
being  made  to  reach  the  natives  in  Mashonaland ;  there- 
fore, missions  to  white  men  are  not  included  in  the  ques- 
tion under  consideration.  The  fact  remains  that  the 
French  mission  stands  alone  as  being  actually  engaged 
in  the  evangelization  of  the  heathen  in  the  great  belt 
of  territory  referred  to. 

It  is  not  from  mere  personal  partiality  toward  colored 


328 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


men  that  I  am  led  to  think  highly  of  the  prospects  for 
their  future  usefulness  in  the  mission  fields  of  Central 
Africa,  but  now  from  actual  experience,  and  the  testi- 
mony of  those  to  whom  they  have  rendered  service,  as 
expressed  verbally  and  by  letter.  The  first  of  the  latter 
was  from  the  Eev.  W.  T.  Currie  of  Cisamba,  referring 
to  those  left  with  him,  and  which  I  received  while  in 
the  Ganguella  country: 

Canadian  Station,  Cisamba,  West  Africa, 
September  15,  1891. 

Dear  Dr.  Johnston:  Let  me  briefly  wish  you  farewell,  with  a 
sincere  God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again."  Youi-  visit  to  this 
station  has  been  for  us  most  pleasant.  After  a  long  season  of  lone- 
liness and  hea^'y  work,  which  had  greatly  tried  my  strength,  you 
came  with  a  strong  arm  and  a  warm  heart  to  cheer  and  help  in  time 
of  need.  If,  in  return,  I  have  been  able  to  assist  you  in  any  way, 
rest  assured  that  I  have  done  so  with  the  utmost  pleasure. 

The  men  you  have  left  with  me  at  this  station  supply  a  long-felt 
need  of  our  work  here. 

The  bearing  of  the  men  has  thus  far  increased  our  respect  for  and 
confidence  in  them.  They  have  ah'eady  won  the  affection  of  my 
boys,  even  though  they  can  speak  to  them  but  few  words.  They 
have  begun  the  study  of  the  language,  and  can  sing  most  of  our 
hymns ;  have  several  times  helped  my  boys  when  holding  evangel- 
istic ser^dces  in  the  native  villages.  Their  special  value  to  us  at 
present  is  perhaps  in  the  line  of  building,  and  I  am  sure,  from  what 
they  have  already  done,  that  they  will  be  able  and  willing  so  to 
relieve  us  from  much  work  that  we  may  devote  much  more  time 
than  we  otherwise  could  to  the  instruction  of  the  young,  and  to  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the  people  at  large  in  this  country.  .  .  . 

Yours  sincerely, 

W.  T.  Currie. 


Mr.  Currie  is  one  of  the  very  few  having  the  tact  and 
firmness,  coupled  with  uniform  kindness,  so  necessary 


MESSRS.  CURRIE  AND  ELLIOTT. 


329 


in  a  missionary  who  has  the  management  of  colored 
workers;  so  that  when  he  left  the  station  on  account 
of  ill-health  for  a  prolonged  furlough,  the  men  I  left 
with  him  lost  heart,  got  discouraged,  and  concluded  to 
follow,  overtaking  Mr.  Currie  at  the  coast,  eventually 
returning  with  him  to  England,  and  afterward  finding 
their  way  back  to  Jamaica. 

In  one  particular,  the  return  of  these  men  to  the 
coast  proved  a  most  fortunate  incident,  as  they  found 
Mr.  Currie  down  with  a  severe  attack  of  fever,  and  ren- 
dered very  opportune  service,  as  the  following  extract 
from  a  subsequent  letter  from  Mr.  Currie  states : 

"Please  remember  me  very  kindly  to  the  native 
brethren.  Often  do  I  seem  to  hear  their  voices  sing- 
ing so  sweetly,  as  they  did  at  our  prayer-meetings. 
God  bless  them !  They  kindly  cared  for  me  when  I 
had  no  power  to  raise  my  head,  and  surely  I  cannot 
soon  forget  them." 

The  Rev.  W.  Elhott,  with  whom  I  intrusted  Frater 
and  Jonathan  (who  had  traveled  with  me  as  far  as 
Bechuanaland)  and  who  left  with  him  for  the  Cape, 
writing  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Jamaica  Mission, 
notifying  their  departure  for  home,  says: 

"  We  shall  be  very  sorry  to  lose  them  indeed.  Their 
bright  hearts  and  faces  have  cheered  our  depressed 
spirits,  and  their  hearty  willingness  to  help  in  all  the 
work  of  the  journey  has  made  them  favorites  with  us 
all.  I  earnestly  hope  to  get  the  help  of  one  or  more  of 
them,  or  their  friends,  in  our  Matebele  mission  in  a 
year  or  two,  or  perhaps  earlier. 

"  Jonathan  carries  away  a  sad  heart  from  Africa  be- 
cause he  has  been  able  to  do  so  little  for  the  Saviour. 


330 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


He  and  Frater  have  both  done  much  for  ns,  and  you 
know  what  value  Christ  puts  on  a  ^cup  of  cold  water' 
given  to  His  children. 

"  I  hope  to  have  a  talk  with  them  both  about  getting 
help  for  our  Matebele,  and  I  shall  write  to  Dr.  Johnston 
too  on  the  same  subject  when  I  know  more  of  our  own 
movements  than  I  do  at  present. 

"We  part  from  them  as  from  friends  long  tried. 
May  God  give  them  hon  voyage  and  a  happy  return  to 
their  homes." 

As  to  the  i3rospect  for  future  mission  work,  several 
places  along  my  route  impressed  me  as  being  very 
hopeful  as  well  as  needy  "  fields,"  such  as,  commencing 
at  the  west,  Ciyuka  in  Bihe,  Ongandu  by  the  Kukema 
Eiver,  Kongovia  by  the  Kwanza — both  the  last-named 
in  the  Granguella  country;  while  farther  east  Kan- 
gamba,  and,  passing  over  the  Barotse  Valley  and  Bech- 
uanaland,  we  come  to  the  little-known  but  thickly  in- 
habited region  of  Gorongoza.  In  none  of  these  places 
has  mission  work  been  attempted  in  any  form  what- 
ever ;  and  why  I  would  especially  emphasize  the  impor- 
tance of  these  places  as  inviting  spheres  is :  first,  so  far 
as  the  climate  is  concerned  they  were  the  healthiest 
districts  we  came  across ;  second,  they  were  among  the 
very  few  places  where  we  were  able  to  obtain  vege- 
tables, proving  that  the  soil  was  sufficiently  fertile  to 
yield  something  more  than  the  ordinary  Kaffir-corn; 
third,  owing  to  the  natives  being  governed  by  petty 
chiefs  there  is  more  freedom  and  liberty  of  conscience 
allowed,  and  the  work,  therefore,  not  open  to  the  objec- 
tions that  present  themselves  under  a  big  autocratic 
chief ;  while  the  interviews  we  held  on  the  subject  with 


SPARSE  POPULATION. 


331 


the  various  headnien  of  these  countries  confirmed  our 
opinion  that  missionaries  would  be  well  received  and 
kindly  treated. 

At  Ongandu,  Kongo  via,  and  Kangamba  in  particular 
the  populations  are  large  and  very  accessible,  their  vil- 
lages being  grouped  in  each  case  within  a  short  distance 
of  their  respective  ombalas.  We  cannot  indorse  the 
reports  so  often  made  of  the  densely  populated  condi- 
tion of  Central  Africa,  but  quite  the  contrary.  Once 
in  three  or  four  hundred  miles  one  strikes  a  moderate- 
sized  town;  about  every  hundred  miles  a  group  of 
villages;  a  small  village,  perhaps,  every  other  day's 
march.  This  certainly  was  my  experience  after  cross- 
ing the  Kwanza  until  we  reached  Manicaland,  and  this 
fact  gives  all  the  more  prominence  to  the  places  we 
have  mentioned. 

I  earnestly  hope  to  see  the  day  when  a  mission  on  a 
sound  practical  basis  shall  be  established  at  each  of 
them. 

Gorongoza  is  but  a  short  journey  from  the  East 
Coast;  landing  at  Beira  by  either  German  steamers 
from  the  north  or  by  the  Union  Line  around  the  Cape, 
proceeding  up  the  Pungwe  Eiver  to  Saramento,  and 
then,  after  three  or  four  days'  marching,  Gorongoza 
Mountain  would  be  reached. 

Those  places  west  of  the  Zambesi  must  be  approached 
from  the  West  Coast,  either  from  Loanda,  Novo  Ro- 
dondo,  or  Benguela.  At  present  the  latter  must  be 
preferred,  as  carriers  are  difficult  to  obtain  at  the  first 
two.  The  cost  of  conveying  a  load  of  sixty  pounds 
would  be  about  thirty  shillings. 

But  on  no  account  would  it  be  advisable  in  the  begin- 


332 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ning  to  take  out  ladies  or  cliildren.  The  work  should 
be  commenced  by  young  men,  several  at  each  station ; 
and  as  the  language  or  anything  like  a  vocabulary  has 
not  yet  been  reduced  to  writing,  it  would  be  essential 
•that  the  young  missionaries  should  have  the  ability  and 
educational  qualifications  necessary  to  undertake  the 
drudgery  of  this  task.  Interpreters  might  be  obtained 
from  among  the  half-caste  Portuguese,  hence  a  previous 
knowledge  of  the  Portuguese  language  would  be  found 
almost  indispensable. 

Much  of  the  first  year  would  be  occupied  in  clearing 
a  place  for  the  settlement,  preparing  and  getting  into 
the  soil  seeds  and  plants  for  the  kitchen-garden,  mak- 
ing furniture,  and  providing,  as  far  as  possible,  for  their 
future  comfort.  On  account  of  the  expense  in  hiring 
labor  for  this  work — for  we  suppose,  of  course,  that 
the  white  men  will  not  attempt  outdoor  toil  them- 
selves {which  means  the  shortest  road  to  a  premature 
grave) — a  plentiful  supply  of  trade  cloth,  beads,  knives, 
gunpowder,  lead,  etc.,  should  be  provided,  sufficient  to 
meet  the  probable  emergency  that  six  or  eight  months 
might  elapse  before  their  next  caravan  arrives  from  the 
coast. 

After  two  years,  and  when  everything  is  in  order 
and  the  home  made  comparatively  snug,  it  will  be  time 
enough  to  talk  about  bringing  out  wives.  But  even 
then,  should  there  be  children,  it  were  kinder  to  leave 
them  at  home,  as  this  is  no  country  for  them.  Some 
are  of  the  opinion  that  the  example  of  a  missionary 
family  home-life  as  an  object-lesson  to  the  natives 
must  stir  their  aimless  minds  to  emulation.  Some 
time,  perhaps,  this  may  come ;  but  for  years  the  con- 


MEDICAL  MISSIONS. 


333 


trast  will  be  too  great  for  them  to  see  anything  to 
imitate.  In  reality,  the  domestic  life,  habits,  and  cus- 
toms of  the  white  man  excite  in  the  African  only  a 
curiosity  similar  to  that  of  a  country  bumpkin's  first 
introduction  to  a  menagerie.  And  to  say  the  least, 
even  were  some  good  accomplished  thereby,  the  expos- 
ing of  children  to  the  base  and  degrading  scenes  that 
must  surround 'them  every  day  among  a  barbarous  and 
savage  people  cannot  be  justified  under  any  pretense 
whatever. 

One  qualified  medical  man  could  easily  look  after  the 
health  of  the  Europeans  on  each  of  the  first  three  sta- 
tions, as  there  is  at  most  but  a  couple  of  days'  journey 
between  them ;  but  Kangamba,  being  more  isolated  and 
farther  interior,  would  require  a  larger  staff  of  workers 
and  its  own  physician. 

Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  on  the  importance  of 
medical  missions  in  the  foreign  field  as  well  as  at  home. 
Rarely  a  day  passed  during  my  whole  journey  that  I 
did  not  prove  the  value  of  being  able  to  prescribe  for 
the  sick ;  and  I  might  say  that,  under  God,  I  owe  my 
life  in  more  than  one  instance  to  the  pacific  effects  of 
medical  aid  rendered  to  suspicious  and  hostile  natives. 
Right  at  Catambella,  our  first  stage  on  the  West  Coast, 
I  opened  my  "  Burroughs  &  Welcome  "  medicine-chest 
to  physic  fever-stricken  carriers,  many  of  whom  were 
to  take  my  own  loads.  Quinine,  antipyrin,  and  rous- 
ers  soon  established  a  reputation  for  me  as  a  fever-doc- 
tor; while  on  the  march  those  suffering  from  gastro- 
intestinal catarrh,  galled  shoulders,  and  ulcers  were 
mustered  daily  and  treated  promptly  and  successfully. 
All  along  the  route  I  had  numerous  opportunities  of 


334 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


alleviating  the  sufferings  of  not  only  many  hundreds  of 
natives,  but  several  missionaries,  hunters,  and  traders, 
and,  in  Mashonaland  and  Manica,  miners  and  Portu- 
guese officials. 

It  is  with  the  greatest  satisfaction  that  I  look  back 
over  my  personal  experiences  throughout  the  long  jour- 
ney, to  the  benefits  accruing  to  sufferers  from  my  pro- 
fession as  a  medical  man.  Not  the  least  of  these  was 
my  timely  arrival  at  Mangwato  and  sojourn  there  dur- 
ing the  month  of  April,  1892,  when  the  devastating 
fever  epidemic  was  at  its  height.  The  many  expres- 
sions of  gratitude  from  both  blacks  and  whites  in  Kha- 
ma's  country  and  elsewhere  convince  me  that  in  this,  if 
for  nothing  else,  my  journey  was  not  in  vain.  The 
monetary  expense  of  the  expedition,  the  hardships  and 
trials  endured,  pale  to  insignificance  when  compared 
with  what  we  were  permitted  to  see  accomplished 
among  those  who  were  otherwise  hundreds  of  miles 
from  medical  assistance.  And  the  fact  that  through 
the  whole  of  our  traveling  not  a  single  death  occurred 
among  my  men  must  be  attributed  to  the  well-stocked 
and  at  all  times  available  medicine-chest. 

The  question  has  been  put  to  me  repeatedly  by  medi- 
cal students,  Would  you  recommend  Central  Africa  as 
a  field  for  men  holding  University  degrees  in  medicine 
who  wish  to  devote  themselves  to  mission  work  ?  Is 
there  a  sphere  for  such  there !  I  can  only  say  that  the 
answer  depends  very  much  upon  circumstances.  If 
there  is  a  party  of  white  missionaries  going  out,  a  fully 
qualified  physician  should  certainly  accompany  them. 
Nothing  can  justify  the  appointing  of  white  men  and 
their  families  to  posts  in  the  far  interior  without  plac- 


NATIVE  DOCTORS. 


335 


ing  a  doctor  within  easy  access  of  their  station,  and  in 
this  loarticular  lies  the  chief  necessity  for  the  qualified 
medical  man. 

He  will  of  course  find  abundant  opportunity  for 
practice  among  the  natives ;  but  from  all  I  have  seen 
of  the  general  class  of  diseases  prevalent  in  Africa  and 
brought  under  the  notice  of  the  medical  missionary,  it 
certainly  seems  an  extravagant  waste  of  ability,  as  he 
will  find  that  a  very  small  percentage  of  the  knowledge 
and  skill  acquired  during  years  of  study  is  ever  required 
or  brought  into  exercise.  It  is  a  recognized  fact  that 
the  Central  African  will  rarely  submit  to  have  even  a 
tooth  extracted,  far  less  consent  to  a  surgical  operation, 
even  if  death  could  be  averted  thereby,  as  amputation 
conflicts  with  the  anticipation  of  his  disembodied  spirit 
returning  in  a  form  superior  to  his  present  existence. 
In  the  matter  of  accouchement  it  is  contrary  to  native 
law  that  a  man,  physician  or  otherwise,  should  be  per- 
mitted to  be  present,  far  less  to  aid  women  in  child- 
birth. A  doctor  who  has  been  for  the  last  seven  years 
resident  in  the  country  informed  me  that  only  once  in 
his  whole  experience  had  he  been  present  in  such  a 
case,  so  that  his  knowledge  of  midwifery,  so  far  as  the 
native  is  concerned,  is  quite  dispensable.  And  there  is 
no  room  for  orthopedic  or  plastic  surgery,  for  all  de- 
formed infants  are  destroyed  at  birth,  as  being  under 
the  ban  and  displeasure  of  the  gods. 

Again  and  again  I  have  watched  the  daily  routine  at 
the  dispensary  of  medical  mission  stations,  and  the  work 
of  the  physician  consisted  chiefly  in  dressing  ulcers, 
preparing  lotions  for  ophthalmia,  administering  emetics 
as  an  antidote  to  the  effects  of  "  muavi,"  strapping  up  a 


336 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


spear  wound,  prescribing  for  indigestion  incidental  to 
their  coarse  fare,  or  a  simple  congli  mixture  for  the 
bronchitis  to  which  they  are  liable  during  the  cold  sea- 
son ;  but  seldom  did  we  see  a  case  so  complicated  that 
a  missionary  with  a  very  ordinary  knowledge  of  the 
properties  of  drugs  in  common  use  could  not  have 
treated  successfully. 

Although  we  are  inclined  to  sneer  at  the  native  doc- 
tors, it  must  be  owned  that,  with  all  their  cabalistic 
practices  and  the  superstitions  and  orgies  that  pervade 
their  exorcising  of  disease,  some  of  them  effect  cures 
by  means  of  herbs  to  us  unknown,  and  the  secret  of 

which  we  might  well  covet.    Dr.  E         of  Bandawe 

tells  me  that  more  than  once  for  weeks  he  has  con- 
tinued to  treat  ulcers  with  every  means  and  appliance 
known  to  our  profession,  without  avail;  owning  him- 
self baffled,  the  patient  resorted  to  a  native  doctor,  and 

returned  in  a  short  time,  to  Dr.  E  's  astonishment, 

with  the  wound  completely  healed. 

A  case  in  point  may  be  cited  that  occurred,  April, 
1892,  in  Bechuanaland,  in  the  presence  of  a  number  of 
Europeans.  A  Boer  while  trekking  northward  with 
his  family  was  delayed  for  some  weeks  in  camp  from 
the  greater  number  of  his  cattle  having  died  of  lung 
sickness.  His  wife  was  in  a  low  state  of  health,  suffer- 
ing from  numerous  boils  and  festering  sores.  While 
dressing  them  one  day,  she  failed  to  keep  off  the  hordes 
of  flies  that  had  gathered  round  the  putrid  meat  in  the 
vicinity;  blood-poisoning  and  pyemia  quickly  super- 
vened, and  death  seemed  imminent.  An  English  sur- 
geon who  chanced  to  be  on  the  road  was  summoned, 
but  after  careful  examination  he  pronounced  the  case 
hopeless,  when  one  of  the  Boer's  native  drivers  begged 


EXTRAVAGANT  IVASTE  OF  ABILITY.  337 


permission  to  call  a  bushman  doctor.  Consent  was 
given,  and  in  a  short  time  the  bushman  appeared.  He 
sat  silently  watching  the  patient  for  a  little  time,  and 
then  went  off  at  a  trot  over  the  veldt  for  some  distance, 
gathered  a  variety  of  herbs,  and  on  returning  put  a 
large  pot  with  water  on  the  fire,  into  which  he  threw 
his  collection  of  medicines.  When  the  infusion  was 
ready  he  urged  the  patient  to  drink,  which  she  did, 
bowl  after  bowl;  while  with  the  same  decoction  he 
bathed  the  sores,  and  within  twenty-four  hours  all 
danger  was  over,  and  the  woman  ultimately  made  a 
good  recovery. 

It  is  with  no  thought  of  vaunting  the  qualities  of  the 
native  doctor  that  we  give  such  an  example,  but  that  it 
may  be  understood  that  the  native  African  is  not  totally 
without  medical  aid  of  a  kind,  even  in  the  absence  of 
white  men. 

In  the  face  of  these  facts  we  are  forced  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  appointment  of  qualified  medical  men  to 
mission  centers  chiefly  for  the  benefit  of  the  native 
population  is  superfluous,  and  that  the  work  assigned 
to  them  might  be  quite  satisfactorily  accomplished  by 
mere  tyros  in  the  art  of  healing. 

Mr.  Currie  of  Cisamba  has  not  been  able  to  take  a 
full  course  in  medicine,  but,  having  a  great  interest  in 
the  study  of  native  diseases  and  their  treatment,  had, 
dming  the  time  of  my  visit  there,  a  larger  number  of 
patients  coming  daily  to  his  dispensary  than  I  have 
seen  at  any  station  in  Africa — even  where  the  mis- 
sionary was  an  M.D. 

Much  the  same  may  be  said  of  Monsieur  Coillard, 
and  I  am  fairly  convinced  that  the  expenses  of  medical 
missions  in  Central  Africa  may  be  very  much  lessened, 


338 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


without  their  value  being  materially  diminislied,  were 
a  short  course  in  the  practice  of  medicine  included  in 
the  curriculum  of  our  missionary  colleges — tjae  studies 
to  be  directed  by  an  ex-African  medical  missionary 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  prevalent  ailments  en- 
demic to  the  regions  for  which  the  various  students  are 
destined.  Yet  this  suggestion  retracts  in  no  way  from 
my  first  statement,  that  wherever  Europeans  are  sta- 
tioned the  presence  of  the  best  and  most  skillful  physi- 
cian obtainable  is  absolutely  essential;  for  where  the 
lives  of  valued  workers  are  at  stake  the  thought  of  ex- 
pense should  not  be  considered. 

My  weary  journey  across  Africa  is  ended.  I  long 
with  intense  yearning  to  get  back  to  that  snug  little 
island,  the  gem  of  the  Caribbean  Sea — Jamaica,  wherein 
I  am  proud  to  have  a  home;  for  in  all  my  travels  I 
have  seen  no  spot  so  lovely,  or  that  can  half  compare 
with  the  "Isle  of  Springs."  Yet  I  thank  God  that  I 
have  been  permitted  to  travel  through  the  great  conti- 
nent, notwithstanding  the  many  trials,  hardships,  and 
dangers  I  have  had  to  face,  without  losing  a  single  na- 
tive follower  by  death,  and  without  firing  an  angry  shot. 

And  now  that  it  is  over,  I  humbly  and  gratefully  ac- 
knowledge the  protecting  care  of  Him  whom  I  trust, 
and  who  has  never  failed  me  even  in  the  darkest  hour. 
And  if  the  knowledge  acquired  of  countries  through 
which  I  have  passed,  or  of  people  and  tribes  I  have  met, 
can  be  of  service  to  those  who  are  seeking  to  spread  the 
light  and  truth  of  the  gospel,  or  advance  the  cause  of 
civilization  in  this  dark  and  benighted  land,  I  shall  re- 
joice in  all  I  have  endured  for  its  sake. 


APPENDIX. 


Equipment. — Tents  versus  huts. — Clothing. — Firearms. — Barter  goods. — 
Commissariat. —  Medicine. —  Tabloids.  —  Fever. —  Insomnia. —  Water. — 
Coolers. — Light. — Photograph3^ 

THE  intending  traveler  must  be  guided  in  the  selec- 
tion of  his  outfit  and  equipment  by  a  knowledge 
of  the  nature  and  character  of  the  regions  through 
which  he  proposes  to  journey,  as  it  makes  a  material 
difference  whether  his  route  lies  through  districts  where 
occasional  supplies  may  be  obtained,  or  penetrates  the 
interior  beyond  the  boundary  of  supply  stores. 

Again,  the  facilities  for  conveyance  of  goods  must  be 
considered,  as,  if  wagons  can  be  used,  provision  for  the 
journey  may  only  be  limited  by  the  traveler's  means ; , 
while  if  carriers  must  be  procured,  the  less  he  can  do 
with,  the  better.  To  the  latter  class  I  would  offer  a  few 
suggestions  from  my  own  experience,  having  special 
reference  to  Central  Africa. 

Equipment. — Personal  outfit  should  include:  tent, 
made  of  Willesden  canvas,  about  seven  feet  by  eight, 
with  double  roof,  and  tarpaulin  ground-sheet  for  the 
floor;  small  folding-table  and  chair;  iron  frame  fold- 
ing-cot weighing  twenty  pounds ;  a  thin  cork  mattress ; 
two  or  three  blankets,  large  and  of  good  quality,  with  a 
rug  or  plaid,  and  a  small  horse-hair  pillow.    Don't  for- 

339 


340 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


get  a  piece  of  good  mosquito-netting,  and  never  pass 
the  night,  whether  in  a  tent  or  in  the  open,  without  its 
protection,  for  it  is  undoubtedly  a  great  preservation 
to  health,  the  meshes  shutting  out  the  miasma,  which 
is  always  worst  at  night.  There  are  many  ways  of  rig- 
ging up  the  netting,  but  the  simplest  of  all  is  to  take  a 
piece  of  strong  calico,  say  blue  pentado,"  seven  feet 
long  and  three  feet  wide;  around  the  edges  of  this 
sew  a  length  of  netting  five  feet  wide ;  to  each  corner 
stitch  a  piece  of  strong  tape,  and  the  arrangement  is 
complete.  After  the  ground-sheet,  mattress,  and  blank- 
ets are  spread  for  the  night,  get  four  of  your  carriers' 
spears,  and  stick  one  into  the  ground  at  each  corner, 
from  which,  by  means  of  the  tapes,  suspend  the  net  at 
a  convenient  height.  After  getting  into  bed,  tuck  the 
edge  of  the  netting  in  under  the  mattress  all  around. 
But  whatever  shape  you  may  adopt  for  your  mosquito 
netting,  remember  that  it  is  positively  indispensable. 

A  rubber  ground-sheet  is  essential  in  case  you  re- 
quire to  sleep  in  the  open ;  but  this  is  the  only  article 
of  rubber  goods  one  need  take,  as  air-pillows  and  such- 
like give  way  in  a  few  months. 

Tents. — Tents  are  very  useful  in  wet  weather,  but 
they  get  intolerably  hot  during  the  day,  unless  they 
can  be  opened  at  both  ends  to  permit  a  free  current  of 
air  to  pass  through ;  and  this  has  the  drawback  that 
the  contents  are  exposed  too  much  to  the  prying  eyes 
of  the  natives,  and  so  exciting  their  cupidity.  West  of 
the  Zambesi  they  may  without  serious  inconvenience 
be  dispensed  with  altogether,  as  the  carriers  prepare 
quite  commodious  round  huts  in  an  hour  or  two  of 
sticks  and  grass,  cool  on  the  hottest  day  and  warm  at 


KITCHEN  UTENSILS. 


341 


night,  while  if  the  thermometer  goes  down  very  low,  a 
fire  can  be  built  in  the  center.  This  cannot  with  com- 
fort be  done  in  a  tent,  as  there  is  no  outlet  for  the 
smoke,  and  in  any  case  would  destroy  the  canvas. 

Kitchen  Utensils. — A  block- tin  canteen,  such  as  is 
supplied  by  Langdon  of  London,  contains  all  the  neces- 
sary utensils  for  the  camp  kitchen,  and  may  be  had  in 
various  sizes,  to  suit  one  or  half  a  dozen  persons.  I 
would  advise  that  the  kit  be  examined  before  purchas- 
ing, to  see  that  lids,  handles,  etc.,  are  thoroughly  riv- 
eted, as,  from  the  carelessness  of  natives  and  the  open 
camp-fire,  solder  holds  but  a  very  short  time.  See  also 
that  the  lid  of  the  pot  be  made  of  sheet-iron  and  not  of 
tin,  so  that  it  will  serve  the  purpose  of  a  Dutch  oven. 

Clothing. — Two  or  three  suits  of  good  tweed  might 
come  in  handy  when  approaching  or  visiting  civilized 
centers;  but  for  the  veldt,  good  light-colored  "elephant 
cord"  will  be  found  much  more  durable  and  satisfac- 
tory. It  is  most  suitable  for  marching  in  the  form  of 
knickerbockers,  and  one  jacket  of  this  material  will  last 
a  year,  as  it  is  only  worn  in  the  cool  of  the  morning 
and  after  getting  into  camp ;  and  it  must  be  very  rough 
usage  that  would  require  more  than  two  or  three  pairs 
of  breeches.  With  these,  thick,  heavy  worsted  stock- 
ings must  be  worn;  but  when  traveling  through  long 
grass  they  need  to  be  protected  by  leggings,  say  of 
canvas,  as,  if  the  grass  is  dry,  it  sheds  small  seeds  and 
sometimes  sharp  needle-like  burrs,  that  are  retained  by 
the  rough,  woolly  surface,  penetrating  to  the  skin  and 
causing  great  irritation.  The  worsted  stockings  are 
at  the  same  time  a  sure  defense  against  ants  of  every 
description,  as,  no  matter  how  fierce,  their  mandibles 


342 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


get  entangled  in  the  meshes  of  the  knitting,  and  thus 
are  rendered  harmless. 

Footwear  should  be  of  two  kinds.  Light  tennis- 
shoes  of  canvas,  but  not  rubber-soled,  are  best  suited 
for  marching  over  sandy  plains,  but  soon  weary  the 
feet  if  the  path  becomes  rough  or  stony ;  here  we  must 
have  thick-soled  leather  boots,  a  size  larger  than  usual. 
I  do  not  mean  by  this  "  top-boots,"  such  as  are  some- 
times worn  by  sporting-men  at  home ;  they  are  found 
much  too  hot  and  heavy ;  but  the  shoe  imr  excellence 
in  dry  weather  is  the  native-made  "  veldt  sclioon.^^  For 
more  than  half  my  journey  I  used  them  in  preference 
to  every  other,  finding  them  noiseless  in  hunting  and 
very  easy  to  the  feet.  They  are  generally  made  with 
soles  of  buffalo  hide  and  tops  of  ''koodoo"  or  other 
antelope. 

Underclothing  should  be  chiefly  of  wool,  so  as  to  avert 
the  evil  effects  arising  from  chill ;  and  loose-fitting,  to 
allow  for  shrinkage,  as  new  travelers  are  not  generally 
experts  in  the  art  of  washing.  The  shirts  should  be 
made  of  a  light,  soft  tweed,  with  a  breast-pocket  on 
each  side;  if  some  of  them  are  only  half-sleeved  it 
would  be  no  harm,  as  one  generally  prefers  during  the 
day  to  have  the  arms  bare  from  the  elbow  at  least. 

Headgear  is  purely  a  matter  of  choice.  Some  vote 
for  the  helmet  of  pith,  cork,  straw,  or  felt ;  others,  like 
myself,  prefer  an  ordinary  broad-brimmed  light -colored 
Terai  or  wide-awake.  The  helmet  I  find  a  nuisance. 
It  gets  knocked  off  in  the  jungle  by  the  overhanging 
branches  of  the  trees ;  it  is  always  in  the  way ;  if  you 
wish  to  rest  at  noon  you  must  either  sit  up  so  as  not 


BARTER  GOODS. 


343 


to  crush  it,  or  lie  down  without  its  protection,  while 
the  soft  felt  is  obviously  more  accommodating. 

FiEEAKMS. — In  reference  to  weapons,  if  firearms  are 
carried  for  the  sole  purpose  of  procuring  meat,  a  twelve- 
bore  shot-gun  choked  in  one  barrel  and  a  .577  '^Ex- 
press "  rifle  D.  B.  will  be  found  sufficient  for  ordinary 
game.  But  if  danger  from  hostile  natives  is  antici- 
pated, in  addition  to  these  a  few  Winchester  repeaters, 
45.90  caliber,  will  be  found  invaluable.  If  a  revolver 
is  carried  at  all,  it  should  be  a  big  one,  for  the  sake  of 
the  moral  effect  its  appearance  produces  on  the  natives 
— a  regulation  Webley,  and  well  plated,  as  this  saves 
a  lot  of  trouble  in  looking  after  rust-spots.  As  to  car- 
tridges, it  will  be  seen,  after  my  experience  related  on 
page  91,  that  it  is  of  first  importance  that  the  intending 
traveler  should  get  his  goods  from  a  trustworthy  agent, 
or  direct  from  the  manufacturer,  and  then  to  person- 
ally inspect  his  ammunition,  to  make  sure  he  is  not 
taking  old  stock. 

Barter  Goods. — No  specific  advice  can  be  given  in 
reference  to  trade  goods,  as  every  separate  district  has 
its  own  peculiar  fashion  in  beads,  color  or  quality  of 
cloth,  size  of  brass,  copper,  or  h'on  wire ;  and  informa- 
tion on  this  head  can  best  be  obtained  from  mercantile 
houses  who  supply  the  traders  nearest  to  the  point  of 
entrance.  But  let  it  be  understood  that  the  goods 
above  named  are  standard  currency  in  some  form  or 
other  in  every  part  of  the  country ;  but  this  cannot  be 
said  of  other  articles  often  included  among  barter  goods, 
such  as  clothes,  hats,  old  military  uniforms,  fancy 
things,  etc.;  these  will  be  received,  but  only  as  pres- 


344 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


ents.  Sometimes  by  hard  experience  one  finds  out  how 
necessary  it  is  to  be  sure  what  the  market  demands  be- 
fore purchasing,  so  as  not  to  be  laden  with  unsalable 
stuffs.  A  quantity  of  beads  (fifty  pounds'  weight)  was 
sold  to  me  by  one  in  the  country  as  the  very  thing  re- 
quired for  barter  in  the  distant  districts  of  the  interior ; 
but  after  carrying  them  for  three  months,  I  had  to  de- 
liberately throw  most  of  them  away  in  utter  disgust, 
and  feeling  very  sore  at  being  swindled,  for  no  native 
would  accept  them ;  and  but  for  having  procured  a  fair 
supply  of  the  right  kind  from  an  honest  man  who  had 
no  wish  to  palm  off  his  bad  stock  on  an  unsuspecting 
stranger,  I  should  have  been  in  a  bad  fix. 

Trade  cloth  is  generally  done  up  by  the  wholesale 
hous.es  in  water-tight  bales  of  from  fifty  to  sixty  pounds 
each,  suitable  in  size,  shape,  and  weight  for  a  man's 
load.  For  personal  baggage  and  sundries,  tin  cases  are 
most  suitable;  wooden  boxes,  leather  portmanteaus, 
etc.,  are  quickly  destroyed  by  the  white  ants.  The 
most  convenient  size  for  tin  cases  is  26  x  15  x  9  inches ; 
and  I  certainly  would  not  be  inclined  again  to  spend 
forty  to  fifty  shillings  each  on  what  are  caUed  water- 
tight tin  boxes.  Six  of  mine  were  of  this  description, 
made  by  one  of  the  best  manufacturers  in  London. 
I  never  doubted  their  ability  to  keep  their  contents  dry 
under  all  circumstances  until  two  of  them  were  thrown 
into  the  Zambesi  by  the  capsizing  of  a  canoe.  On 
being  recovered  they  felt  very  much  heavier  than 
before,  and  yet  there  was  no  water  dripping  from 
them;  the  fact  was,  they  were  water-tight  on  the 
wrong  side.  The  water  got  in  easy  enough,  soaking 
the  leather  bufSng  round  the  rim,  which  swelled  and 


PROyiSIONS. 


345 


effectually  imprisoned  it.  They  were  full  of  water,  and 
many  of  my  most  valuable  articles,  put  there  for  spe- 
cial safety,  were  completely  destroyed. 

Provisions. — Lay  in  a  good  stock  of  flour,  rolled 
wheat,  oatmeal,  rice,  barley,  and  plain  biscuits ;  coffee, 
tea,  cocoa ;  dried  fruit ;  desiccated  potatoes,  compressed 
vegetables ;  salt ;  canned  goods— corned  beef,  sardines, 
etc.  Sugar  is  bulky  and  heavy,  but  will  never  be 
missed  if  to  the  above  stock  is  added  a  few  pack- 
ages of  saccharine  tablets.  Condiments,  etc.,  will  of 
course  be  included  according  to  discretion.  These  foods 
named  are  the  substantial  stand-byes. 

But  a  few  medical  comforts  and  luxuries  must  not 
be  forgotten,  in  case  of  sickness,  such  as  extract  of 
beef,  arrow-root,  condensed  milk,  preserves ;  and  a  bot- 
tle or  two  of  Cognac  must  not  be  omitted,  as  there  are 
times  of  extreme  prostration  in  attacks  of  dysentery, 
or  as  the  result  of  fever,  when  a  tablespoonful  of  this 
stimulant  may  turn  the  tide  in  the  patient's  favor. 
But  alcohol  in  any  form,  except  for  medicinal  i3urposes, 
particularly  if  taken  during  the  day,  is  the  shortest 
way  to  fevers,  and  renders  the  traveler  less  able  to 
resist  them  when  they  come. 

Medicines. — These  are  next  in  importance  to  food, 
and  should  be  carefully  selected,  and  not  all  put  up  in 
one  medicine- chest.  Several  small  boxes,  each  contain- 
ing a  few  special  drugs,  should  be  packed  away  in  dif- 
ferent cases,  so  that  in  the  event  of  one  or  two  loads 
getting  lost,  stolen,  or  strayed  there  will  be  less  danger 
of  being  left  without  a  remedy  when  attacked  by  ill- 
ness, as  has  been  the  unhappy  experience  of  some. 

Tabloids. — I  would  strongly  recommend  that  the 


346 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


drugs  be  in  tlie  form  of  tabloids,  as  prepared  by  Bur- 
roughs &  Welcome.  As  I  have  stated  elsewhere,  the 
Edinburgh  Medical  Missionary  Society  presented  me, 
on  leaving  Scotland,  with  a  Stanley  medicine-chest,  con- 
taining a  bountiful  supply ;  and  although  it  was  under 
water  twice  and  traveled  thousand  of  miles  in  all  kinds 
of  weather,  temperature,  and  atmosphere,  for  eighteen 
months,  alternately  carried  by  natives,  conveyed  in 
canoes,  or  bumped  in  bullock- wagons,  at  the  end  of  the 
journey  the  drugs  that  remained  were  in  as  good  con- 
dition as  when  I  started  out. 

The  following  will  be  found  among  the  most  valuable 
for  Central  Africa:  Livingstone's  rousers;  comp.  ca- 
thartic ;  quinine ;  arsenic  (5-0  of  a  grain  each) ;  anti- 
pyrin ;  phenacetin ;  calomel  and  podophyllin ;  lead  and 
opium ;  aloin,  strychnine,  and  belladonnae ;  sulphonal. 

Messrs.  Burroughs  &  Welcome  supply  a  small  book 
with  each  medicine-chest,  containing  plain  and  concise 
directions  as  to  the  properties,  uses,  and  doses  of  the 
various  medicines. 

Fevek. — The  principal  disease,  and  from  which  none 
who  penetrate  the  interior  escape,  is  fever  in  some 
form  or  other,  generally  bilious  intermittent,  yet  all  too 
frequently,  particularly  near  the  coast,  the  malignant 
and  dangerous  remittent  hematuric,  or  black- water 
fever. 

Opinions  differ  as  to  the  treatment  of  the  various 
fevers,  but  most  are  agreed  that  quinine  is  our  "  sheet 
anchor " ;  but  I  have  much  more  faith  in  its  effects  as 
a  prophylactic  than  in  its  antipyretic  property,  not 
only  from  personal  experience,  but  also  from  the  evi- 
dence of  many  I  have  met  and  on  whose  testimony  I 


HEALTH  HINTS. 


347 


can  rely.  Five-grain  doses  of  quinine  daily  while  ap- 
proaching or  passing  through  districts  known  to  be 
malarious  mitigated  the  severity  of  an  attack,  and  often 
warded  it  off  altogether,  while  others  in  the  same  cara- 
van who  neglected  this  precaution  were  completely 
prostrated  every  week  or  two ;  but  they  also,  on  adopt- 
ing the  habit  of  a  dose  every  morning,  experienced 
almost  complete  immunity  for  months  together. 

Apart  from  the  ever-exhaling  malaria  in  swampy 
regions,  long  delays  in  camp,  with  their  attendant  wor- 
ries, etc.,  sitting  in  damp  clothes,  whether  from  per- 
spiration or  rain,  and  omitting  to  change  them  on 
getting  into  camp,  until  one  is  chilled,  are  the  most 
prolific  causes  of  fever. 

A  practical  and  handy  little  brochure  on  "Health 
Hints  for  Central  Africa,"  by  Horace  Waller  (than 
whom  there  are  few  men  better  qualified  to  give  coun- 
sel on  this  subject),  is  published  by  John  Murray, 
London.  It  is  convenient  for  the  pocket,  and  contains 
valuable  advice  and  information  that  should  be  in  the 
possession  of  every  one  who  would  travel  in  malarious 
countries. 

The  premonitory  symptoms  of  an  approaching  attack 
are,  first,  languor,  depression,  irritability  of  temper,  and, 
in  some,  excitement  and  talkativeness ;  the  renal  secre- 
tion becomes  frequent  and  almost  colorless,  indicating 
the  necessity  for  something  like  "  Livingstone's  rousers  " 
to  stir  -up  the  liver,  a  timely  dose  of  two  or  three  some- 
times averting  an  attack. 

But  when  once  the  nausea  and  vomiting  sets  in, 
further  resistance  is  useless ;  one  must  simply  lie  down 
to  it,  when  all  the  blankets  and  rugs  within  reach  will 


348 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


be  requisitioned  to  give  some  warmth  to  the  cold  and 
shivering  frame,  while  the  acute  frontal  headache,  pain 
in  the  back,  and  general  feeling  of  "  haven't-got-a-friend- 
in-the- world "  completes  the  misery  of  one's  condition 
at  this  stage.  A  few  hours  of  this,  and  the  chilliness 
gives  place  to  heat,  the  skin  becoming  dry  and  burning, 
and  the  tongue  parched ;  then  happy  and  fortunate  is 
the  patient  who  can  get  his  hands  on  a  bottle  of  soda- 
water. 

If  this  stage  is  prolonged,  it  may  sometimes  be  cut 
short  by  a  drink  of  hot  gruel  or  tea  with  a  drachm  of 
spts.  seth.  nit.,  when  the  attack  enters  on  the  third  part 
of  the  program  of  its  course,  by  profuse  perspiration, 
giving  almost  instant  relief.  The  temperature  runs 
down  rapidly.    Now  for  a  big  dose  of  quinine. 

It  is  of  little  use  taking  quinine  during  a  paroxysm,  as 
ten  to  one  it  will  be  rejected  by  the  stomach ;  and  small 
doses  in  repeated  exacerbations  of  high  temperature  is 
equally  futile.  Thirty  grains  have  often  to  be  admin- 
istered, taking  advantage  of  a  remission  when  the  tem- 
perature is  at  its  lowest,  before  beneficial  results  are 
obtained. 

To  relieve  the  persistent  headaches,  antipyrin  in  five- 
grain  doses  will  be  found  very  helpful ;  but  better  still, 
and  safer,  I  would  mention  phenacetin.  One  (or  at 
most  two)  five-grain  tabloid  acts  like  a  charm,  sooth- 
ing and  quieting  the  nerves,  and  producing  a  feeling  of 
restfulness  that  is  delightful.  In  the  sleepless  nights  ac- 
companying fever  I  have  found  sulphonal  give  great  re- 
lief, but  would  caution  against  its  reckless  use.  Messrs. 
Burroughs  &  Welcome  give  the  maximum  dose  at  forty 
grains,  but  this  I  found  too  high.    I  would  limit  to  half 


IVATER. 


349 


the  quantity,  or  even  less,  as  giving  equal  benefit  with- 
out the  unpleasant  effects  of  forty  grains,  which  pro- 
duces a  nervous  condition,  with  vertigo  and  a  swaying, 
staggering  gait  when  attempting  to  walk. 

For  fever  recurring  every  day  and  continuing  for 
weeks,  quinine  has  but  little  antidotal  power;  but  it 
will  generally  yield  to  one  tabloid  of  arsenic  (-V  of  a 
grain)  every  four  hours.  Strychnine  may  be  advan- 
tageously added  to  this,  and  can  be  obtained  in  the 
combined  form. 

Water,  generally  so  impure,  is  responsible  for  much 
of  the  fever  and  dysentery  incidental  to  traveling  in 
Africa.  It  should  be  the  ambition  of  every  one  to  train 
himself  to  accomplish  the  day's  march  without  drink- 
ing, for  it  becomes  very  much  of  a  habit,  dipping  from 
every  pool  or  stream  that  one  comes  across,  and  only 
increases  the  craving  for  more.  By  a  little  exercise  of 
self-denial,  one  will  in  a  few  weeks  find  he  can  cross 
stream  after  stream  without  any  desire  to  drink,  and 
on  getting  into  camp  a  cup  of  tea  or  cocoa  will  refresh 
him,  and  thus  avoid  the  risk  of  drinking  unboiled  water. 

Coolers. — If  there  should  be  no  certainty  of  water 
being  obtainable  at  the  noonday  rest,  a  supply  had 
better  be  carried.  But  in  what!  is  the  question.  All 
sorts  of  water-bottles  and  canteens  have  been  invented. 
Many  give  the  preference  to  the  enameled-ware  flask 
covered  with  felt,  the  latter  to  be  kept  moist  so  as  to 
keep  the  contents  cool;  but  if  there  is  water  to  be 
found  wherewith  to  keep  continually  wetting  the  felt 
(for  it  dries  in  a  very  few  minutes),  why  carry  any? 
While,  if  there  is  no  water  for  the  felt,  a  drink  from 
the  flask  is  far  from  refreshing. 


350 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


To  those  who  can  appreciate  a  draught  of  real  cold 
water,  even  when  the  sun  is  hottest,  I  would  say: 
Construct  from  a  piece  of  sail  canvas  a  bag,  say  eight 
inches  square,  sewed  all  around,  excepting  an  inch  and 
a  haK  at  the  upper  corner,  into  which  the  neck  of  a 
bottle  may  be  tied,  and  you  have  a  water- vessel  that  as 
yet  is  unsurpassed.  This  is  the  home-made  form,  but 
it  may  be  added  to  in  not  only  being  made  more  ele- 
gantly, but  a  flat  piece  of  vulcanite  may  be  fastened  to 
the  under  side,  to  protect  the  clothes  when  it  is  to  be 
slung  over  one's  own  shoulder.  But  similar  bags  may 
be  made  of  a  larger  size  and  handed  to  carriers  who 
have  light  loads.  If  they  are  kept  clean  and  filled  with 
boiled  and  filtered  water  every  morning,  there  will  be 
no  lack  of  cold  and  non-injurious  water  at  every  halt. 

Light. — A  word  or  two  on  the  subject  of  lights.  Oil- 
lamps  are  unadvisable,  as  it  is  inconvenient  to  carry 
bulky  cans  of  oil;  the  same  may  be  said  of  candles. 
But  a  good  ball  of  wick  and  two  or  three  molds  will 
"fill  the  bill,"  and  provide  the  means  of  preparing 
light  en  route  as  required;  for  anywhere  and  every- 
where in  Africa  bee's- wax  may  be  had,  and  from  which 
enough  candles  may  be  made  in  a  couple  of  hours  to 
supply  the  traveler  for  a  month.  These  candles,  too, 
are  not  open  to  the  same  objections  as  the  sperm  and 
composite,  as  they  do  not  get  soft  and  melt  with  the 
intense  heat. 

I  would  recommend  a  small  bull's-eye  lantern  with 
a  quart  or  two  of  paraffine  to  supply  it,  as  there  are 
occasions  when  traveling  at  night  is  necessary,  and 
when  compass  readings  are  to  be  taken,  etc.;  then 
such  a  protected  light  will  be  a  great  convenience. 


PHOTOGRAPHY. 


351 


Photography. — It  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  a  brief 
sketch  of  my  experience  with  photographic  appliances, 
for  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  wish  to  provide  appa- 
ratus, material,  plates,  etc.,  for  a  similar  campaign. 

My  outfit  in  this  line  consisted  of  a  plain  Waterbury 
8x10  camera,  with  single  back,  rising  front,  folding 
tailboard,  and  hinged  ground  glass;  one  Ross  8x10 
rapid  symmetrical  lens,  and  one  8  x  10  wide-angle  port- 
able, symmetrical.  I  had  half  a  dozen  holders  for  plates 
and  half  a  dozen  ditto  for  films,  with  vulcanite  slides 
specially  made  for  me  by  the  Scovill  &  Adams  Co.  of 
New  York,  who  supplied  all  my  apparatus. 

Five  gross  Carbutt  8  x  10  special  plates,  sensitometer 
25,  and  three  gross  Carbutt  films  of  same  size  and 
rapidity.  These  were  packed  in  hermetically  sealed 
zinc  packages  containing  two  dozen  each,  and  after 
developing  were  repacked  face  to  face,  nothing  be- 
tween, in  their  original  form — a  method  which  I  can 
certainly  recommend,  as,  though  put  to  the  severest 
test  possible,  all  my  negatives  arrived  in  Jamaica  with- 
out a  single  breakage  or  damage. 

Developing  material  I  carried  diy:  soda  sulphite, 
soda  carbonate,  potash  carbonate,  acid  pyrogallic,  acid 
sulphuric ;  and  for  fixing,  soda  hyposulphite  and  alum. 

One  ordinary  folding-tripod  with  seven-inch  top, 
three  rubber  trays,  a  folding  ruby-lantern  (procured 
from  Watson,  London),  and  one  Thornton  &  Picard 
patent  time  shutter,  completed  my  photographic  par- 
aphernalia. 

I  developed  on  the  march  only  when  there  was  no 
moon,  when  we  chanced  to  camp  by  a  clear  running 
stream,  my  tent  serving  the  purpose  of  a  "  dark  room," 


352 


REALITY  VERSUS  ROMANCE. 


and  with  such  a  provision  found  no  necessity  for  any- 
thing more  elaborate.  To  avoid  the  conveyance  of 
heavy  dishes  for  the  "hypo"  and  washing,  I  con- 
structed bags  of  rubber  cloth  for  the  purpose,  tacked 
upon  frames,  and  carried  a  box  to  receive  exposed 
plates,  holding  two  dozen,  replenishing  my  holders 
always  at  night. 

Now  as  to  results,  I  leave  the  reader  to  judge  how 
far  I  have  been  successful  in  obtaining  truthful  repre- 
sentations of  the  tribes,  etc.,  with  whom  I  came  in  con- 
tact, from  those  I  have  selected  for  the  illustration  of 
this  book  from  over  five  hundi-ed  negatives  now  in  my 
possession. 

The  holders  provided  by  the  Scovill  &  Adams  Co. 
never  failed  me,  and  their  camera,  though  neither  brass- 
bound  nor  leather-bellowed,  did  not  suffer  even  the 
smashing  of  the  ground  glass ;  while  the  boxes  contain- 
ing my  photo  apparatus  experienced  the  same  rough 
usage  as  my  medicine-chest — carried  on  the  head  or 
shoulders  of  natives,  by  river  in  canoes,  and  through 
Bechuanaland  and  northward  by  wagon,  and,  like  the 
chest,  having  been  several  times  under  water.  Yet 
they  are  still  as  serviceable  as  when  I  first  set  out. 
Neither  plates  nor  films  showed  the  slightest  sign  of 
deterioration  while  they  lasted.  The  only  difficulty  I 
experienced  was  with  the  films,  which  contracted  three 
eighths  of  an  inch,  and  thus  could  no  longer  be  con- 
tained in  the  groove  of  the  holder,  but  required  to 
be  kept  in  place  by  pins ;  this,  however,  could  be  easily 
obviated. 

In  addition  to  the  aforenamed  equipment,  I  had  a 
5x7  detective  hand  camera,  fitted  with  an  Eastman's 


A  PARTING  IVORD. 


353 


roll-holder,  with  a  good  supply  of  rolls ;  but  they  turned 
out  very  unsatisfactory,  for,  although  I  obtained  a  large 
number  of  passably  good  snap-shot  negatives,  they 
dried  after  development  so  unevenly,  puckering  and 
crinkling,  that  I  cannot  get  a  decent  print  from  them. 
They  are  the  most  obstreperous  invention  I  have  ever 
handled ;  nothing  short  of  battening  down  "  will  keep 
them  flat.  Of  these  thin  roll  films  I  would  say.  Ama- 
teurs, beware ! 

A  parting  word :  Central  Africa,  being  comparatively 
an  unphotograplied  country,  offers  an  unlimited  field 
for  the  professional  and  amateur.  The  traveler  will 
find  the  camera  an  unfailing  source  of  pleasure,  and  a 
means  of  dispelling  the  ennui  that  will  so  often  over- 
take him  in  that  strange  land,  while  the  fascination  is 
increased  by  no  little  danger  with  which  his  operations 
will  be  surrounded ;  but  if  successful,  he  carries  back 
with  him  pleasing  mementos  of  his  journey  that  will 
ever  remind  him  of  the  scenes  and  experiences  through 
which  he  has  passed. 


DATE  DUE 


CAVCOKO 

PRINTEOIN  U  S  A. 

